Hashim Amla's 3 greatest knocks against India

One of the best batters of his generation and truly one of South Africa's cricketing greats, Hashim Amla announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Wednesday.

The elegant stroke-maker called time on his international career three years ago and was plying his trade in a fewew T20 leagues and county cricket for Surrey.

Amla has scored a whopping 18,672 runs across all formats for the Proteas. With 55 tons and 88 fifties, the numbers make for excellent viewing. He has played his fair share of top knocks, with his triple-hundred being the first for a South African player. On that note, let's look at Amla's top three knocks against India.

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#3 116* in ODIs, Centurion, 2011

Hashim Amla's highest ODI score against India came in 2011, in the decider of a five-match ODI series at Centurion. In a rain-curtailed match of 46 overs, India put South Africa into bat and what followed was a Amla show through and through.

Barring Amla and Morne Van Wyk, who notched up a half-century, none of the Proteas' batters could get a substantial score.

Amla finished the innings with an unbeaten 116 of 132 balls and helped South Africa post 250/9 after 46 overs. His calm and composed innings proved to be the difference at the end as South Africa won the game by 33 runs. As a result, Amla was adjudged as Player of the Match.

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#2 114 and 123* in Test, Eden Gardens, 2010

One of Hashim Amla's best Test performances came in a challenging encounter at Eden Gardens in a losing cause. Batting at No.3, Amla stroked his way to centuries in both innings of the Test match, but he couldn't get enough support from the other batters.

His 166-ball 114 in the first innings was backed by a 100 from opener Alviro Petersen, but a batting collapse post the fall of the latter's wicket saw South Africa get bundled out for 296.

On what was a fairly good wicket for batting, India made merry, riding on hundreds from Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni to post a huge total of 643/6.

Amla grinded it out in the second innings despite lack of support from the other end. His grueling time in the middle saw him remain unbeaten on 123 off 394 balls that saw him spend close to 500 minutes on the pitch.

Unfortunately, he ran out of partners as India won the Test match by an innings and 57 runs. However, Amla did win the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series awards.

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#1 253* in Test, Nagpur, 2010

In what was arguably his best knock against India, Hashim Amla spent close to 700 minutes at the crease to score a whopping 253 runs in the first Test of an away series at Nagpur.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Proteas found themselves in hot water, as they were 6/2.

Then, Amla and Jacques Kallis joined hands to bat India out of the match. The duo put on a 340-run stand to tire out the Indian bowlers.

While Kallis was eventually dismissed for 173, India didn't have an answer to the questions Hashim Amla was asking of them.

Hashim Amla ticked away and finished with 253 off 473 balls, helping South Africa to an innings win and deservedly winning the Player of the Match award.