‘The monkey is off his back.’ Those were the words of legendary cricket commentator Robin Jackman when Jacques Kallis finally scored a maiden double century during the first Test match between South Africa and India in Centurion in 2010.

Kallis’ illustrious Test record had always seemed somewhat unfinished because up to then he had never reached 200 in an innings.

But the quality of the right-hander was again emphasised when he, at the age of 35, managed to fight his way to his first-ever score of 200 against a pretty decent Indian bowling attack.

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His double ton helped the Proteas to a huge first-innings score, which set up an innings and 25-run victory over the Indians.

The visitors would, however, strike back in the second Test in Durban with a crucial win before the final encounter at Newlands yielded no result and a shared series.