Proteas coach Kirsten backs Kallis to play in ICC Champions Trophy

Johannesburg: South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is likely to return to the one-day team for the ICC Champions Trophy event, which is to be held in England in June.

According to coach Gary Kirsten, although Kallis will not play one-day cricket anymore because the team management values him in Test matches, they reserve the right to pick him for certain tournaments, adding that the ICC Champions Trophy is one such tournament. Kirsten revealed after the one-day series loss to New Zealand in January this year that he was in discussions with Kallis, and after Sunday``s series win over Pakistan, the coach said talks are still ongoing and Kallis is being persuaded. According to Kirsten, Kallis, who wants to play in the 2015 World Cup, has enough international experience to slot back into the starting XI immediately. Kallis has not played a one-day international since February 2012 and is no longer available for bilateral one-day series but, may be back in contention for ICC tournaments, as he did for the World Twenty20 last September. ANI