Kagiso Rabada's ascent to the elite 300-wicket club in Test cricket has been nothing short of remarkable. Debuting in 2015 at Mohali against India, Rabada quickly established himself as one of the most fearsome fast bowlers in modern cricket. Over the course of 117 Test matches, he bowled 1977.4 overs, conceding 6,628 runs, and claiming 303 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 3.35. His bowling average stands at an excellent 21.9, with a strike rate of 39.2, underscoring his ability to take wickets at regular intervals. Among his many achievements, Rabada has 15 five-wicket hauls to his name, with a best bowling performance of 7/112.

What sets Rabada apart is the speed at which he reached this milestone, taking fewer matches than many other elite bowlers. His consistent performances across different conditions and against top batting lineups have made him a key asset for South Africa. Whether with the new ball or during long spells, Rabada’s accuracy and pace continue to trouble even the best batsmen in the world. His latest achievement of 303 Test wickets is a testament to his skill, endurance, and relentless pursuit of excellence on the field.

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A Statistical Breakdown of His 300+ Test Wickets

Kagiso Rabada's entry into the elite 300-wicket club in Test cricket is a testament to his incredible skill and consistency over the years. Since his debut against India in 2015, Rabada has developed into one of the world’s most feared fast bowlers. His ability to adapt to different pitches, opposition, and conditions has allowed him to rack up an impressive 303 wickets in 117 Tests. Notably, his best bowling figure of 7/112 showcases his ability to take wickets in a single innings and put opposition under immense pressure.

When analyzing his performance against various opposition teams, Rabada has been particularly dominant against England, from whom he has taken 66 wickets, the highest against any single nation. India follows closely, with Rabada claiming 55 wickets, reflecting his effectiveness against top-tier batting lineups. Against Australia, he has managed 49 wickets, while Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Bangladesh have also struggled against his relentless pace and precision, with 35, 27, and 24 wickets taken respectively. Even teams like New Zealand and Pakistan have faced difficulties, losing 22 wickets each to Rabada's brilliance, while Zimbabwe has conceded 3 wickets.

Looking at the timeline of Rabada’s career, it is evident that his form has surged since 2021. From June 2021 onwards, Rabada took 100 wickets at an average of 19.09 and a strike rate of 34.2, showcasing his return to peak performance. This includes five five-wicket hauls, illustrating how he has consistently been able to break partnerships and take key wickets. Before this period, his performances from February 2019 to May 2021 showed a slight dip, where he collected 34 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 33.02 and a strike rate of 58.1, with no five-wicket hauls. However, Rabada’s resurgence post-2021 is a clear sign of his adaptability and persistence.

In comparison, during the period leading up to January 2019, Rabada had already established himself as a dominant force, taking 168 wickets in 35 matches at an average of 21.41 and a strike rate of 38.4. During this period, he also achieved 9 five-wicket hauls, showing that even early in his career, Rabada was already performing at an elite level. These early years laid the foundation for what has become a celebrated career, filled with milestones and match-winning performances.

Kagiso Rabada’s journey to 300 wickets is a blend of raw talent, relentless work ethic, and resilience. His ability to continuously evolve and deliver at critical moments has cemented his place among South Africa's greatest bowlers. As he continues his career, Rabada's achievements thus far not only reflect his individual brilliance but also his pivotal role in South African cricket’s fast bowling legacy.

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South African pace sensation Kagiso Rabada made history on Monday, October 21, by becoming the fastest bowler to claim 300 wickets in Test cricket. The 29-year-old achieved the remarkable feat during Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka. Rabada clean-bowled Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim, dismissing him for 11 runs, on the fifth ball of the 14th over, marking a monumental milestone in his illustrious career.

Rabada’s feat is especially impressive as he surpassed the previous record held by legendary Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis, who reached 300 wickets in 12,602 deliveries. Rabada needed just 11,817 balls to achieve the same, breaking the record with a quicker strike rate and further cementing his place in cricket history.

Rabada tops the elite list of South African bowlers

In addition to becoming the fastest to 300 wickets globally, Rabada also became the sixth South African bowler to join the prestigious 300-wicket club. The current record for the most Test wickets for South Africa belongs to Dale Steyn, who retired with 439 wickets. Shaun Pollock ranks second with 421 wickets, followed by Makhaya Ntini (390), Allan Donald (330), and Morne Morkel (309). Rabada, who made his Test debut in 2015 against India, has been a key player for the Proteas and continues to dominate with his consistent performances.

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A record-breaking career

What makes Rabada’s achievement even more extraordinary is his impressive strike rate. He is the only bowler in the history of Test cricket to claim 300 wickets with a strike rate of under 40. His precision, speed, and ability to break partnerships have made him a constant threat to opposition teams worldwide. Rabada’s career, which began in 2015, is filled with numerous accolades, and this latest achievement solidifies his place among the all-time greats.

On Monday, July 8th, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced a 16-man squad for the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies starting on August 7. Experienced batter Temba Bavuma will lead the South African cricket team.

South Africa’s red-ball coach, Shukri Conrad announced the squad for the Tests starting on August 7 in Trinidad. Bavuma will lead the team after missing a game against India earlier this year. Most of the main players, who skipped the New Zealand series due to SA20 commitments are back. Three players from the second string team that played against New Zealand are also retained.

David Bedingham, who is in great form in the County Championship keeps his spot. Pacers Dane Paterson and off-spinner Dane Piedt also stay in the team. Matthew Breetzke, who scored 322 runs at an average of 46 in the domestic competition, gets his first Test call up and may replace Dean Elgar as a backup batter. Tristan Stubbs also stays in the red-ball team.

Marco Jansen is rested to manage his workload, and with Anrich Nortje focusing on T20Is, Dane Paterson is retained as an extra fast bowler alongside Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, and Gerald Coetzee.

“We have one new face, Matthew Breetzke, selected for his excellent performance last season. Resting Marco Jansen is to ensure his physical and mental well-being,” said Conrad in X.

The rest of the squad remains largely the same, with Ryan Rickelton returning as the second wicketkeeper, while Keegan Petersen is left out.

South Africa squad for West Indies Tests

Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne

The Men in Blue will now face South Africa in their final game on Saturday at the Bridgetown in Barbados. Earlier on Thursday, the Proteas beat Afghanistan in the first semi-final. India has qualified for the T20 World Cup 2024 final after defeating England by 69 runs in their second semi-final in Guyana on Thursday.
South Africa beat Afghanistan in the first semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Proteas advanced for their first World Cup final.

There will be several intriguing player battles ahead of the India-South Africa T20 World Cup final. Player clashes add a new level of excitement to the contest’s winner selection process. Let’s look at a few of them:

Rohit Sharma vs Kagiso Rabada

The Indian skipper has been in excellent form and is coming off two consecutive half-centuries. So far, no batter has hit three consecutive 50s in this tournament. The way Rohit is batting right now, it appears very possible, and he is a player who can remove the pitch from the equation.

That’s why it’s critical to stop him. Kagiso Rabada has also caused him problems on several occasions. Rabada has bowled Rohit 13 times in international cricket, including twice in the IPL. That means he eliminated the Indian captain 15 times in their 32 meetings.

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Virat Kohli vs Marco Jansen

Virat Kohli, the former Indian captain, is performing badly in this tournament. However, given his stature, he is capable of winning any position. That is why South Africa will not write him off. If South Africa can get him out early, it will put pressure on the remaining Indian batters, especially Rohit.

That is where we believe Marco Jansen can be useful. The pacer with the left arm is going to get the ball into him and are good bouncer, whereas Virat may struggle. Jansen dismissed Virat five times in international cricket and once in the Indian Premier League.

Heinrich Klaasen vs Kuldeep Yadav

South Africa will be contemplating their strategy against the Indian spinner, as this will be crucial in the SA vs IND final. Heinrich Klaasen will be the lineup’s biggest batter. He can face Indian spinner and score runs on shifting tracks as well.

Kuldeep Yadav, however, will be his most difficult challenge. This wrist spinner is difficult to read, which makes him a danger to any batter. Klaasen and Kuldeep have met ten times in international cricket, with Kuldeep dismissing him three times. In white-ball cricket, Klaasen has scored 84 runs off 64 balls against him.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Anrich Nortje

Not only will India rely on Rohit and Virat, but also on Suryakumar Yadav’s batting. He has been in excellent form throughout the tournament, and it is now time for him to deliver one final strong innings that will propel India to victory. He has a good record against South Africa.

He’ll be looking to play some unconventional shots. However, it can be difficult to beat Anrich Nortje, who can bowl at speeds ranging from 120 to 150 KMPH without changing his action. Nortje has twice dismissed Suryakumar in four IPL innings.

Quinton de Kock vs Jasprit Bumrah

Quinton de Kock is the leading scorer for South Africa in the current ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He scored runs against strong opposition and will be crucial for his team. If he gets going, he will not let the Indian bowlers rest. That is where it will be critical to get him out.

However, his first challenge will be versus Jasprit Bumrah. The ace pacer has given India a good start. His first spell will be critical. He has enjoyed bowling with De Kock. Bumrah has sacked De Kock six times, including once in the IPL.

ENG vs SA, 1st Test: Ben Stokes-led England were given a reality check in the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa as the hosts staggered to an innings and 12 runs loss at the Lord’s Cricket Ground on Friday. The first Test ended inside three days as Proteas bowlers made a joke of England’s batting lineup and the ‘Bazball’ approach was a flake-out. Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada bowled red hot spells, for which England had no responses.

After the loss, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer took to Twitter to troll England as ‘Bazball’ misfired badly in the first Test.

“Bazball has done wonders in the fourth inns” SA: There will be no fourth inns,” tweeted Jaffer.

This was England’s first loss in tests under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. 

Recently, England had won each of the four Tests (three versus New Zealand and one versus India). In all those games, England chased down steep totals.

South Africa had won the toss and chose to bowl. Kagiso Rabada then went through England, taking a five-wicket haul, as the hosts were bowled out for 165. The guests then put on 326 in reply, with Sarel Erwee scoring half-century and Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje adding a few significant runs down the order.

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England’s second essay with the bat saw little improvement, as they were bowled out for 149, giving South Africa a win by an innings and 12 runs.

Nortje claimed three wickets, while Rabada, Jansen and Maharaj took two each. Lungi Ngidi got only one wicket, yet it was the big one of Joe Root.

The two teams will currently go head to head in the second Test in Manchester starting August 25.

ENG vs SA: South Africa kept up with their tight grip on the first  Test at Lord’s by bowling England out for 165 on the second morning with Kagiso Rabada claiming an amazing five-wicket haul.

Rain stopped the tourist’s charge at the very beginning as England attempted 116 for six and nearly posted their lowest total since the new regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum set about changing red-ball cricket in this country.

While the hosts moved past the 141 they scored here against New Zealand in June, Rabada sent Ollie Pope back to the pavilion early and got five for 52 to end England’s first innings up inside an hour on day two.

Lord’s was an ocean of red with the home of cricket turning ‘Red for Ruth’ for the fourth progressive year in memory of Sir Andrew Strauss’ wife Ruth, who passed away in 2018.

Everyone was focused on Pope first up and whether he could lead England to a serious all out when he continued on 61 not out, however he should have been dismissed from the 6th ball of the morning.

Having unhesitatingly pulled Rabada for four before in the over, Pope edged to initially slip just to watch Sarel Erwee ruin the catching opportunity at chest level.

Erwee spilled the first chance, nearly gripped onto the second and failed to gather at the third attempt in hilarious fashion while falling backward.

Pope didn’t trade out however as he played on at the start of Rabada’s third over to leave having added 12 runs to his overnight total.

Stuart Broad, lined up for a nighthawk role by captain Stokes during last month’s Test with India, did briefly satisfy his charging with two fours off Anrich Nortje ready to take England past the 141 they oversaw here in June.

Rabada again proved too good and showed his variation with slower ball tricking the England number eight, who could chip a simple catch to the visitor’s captain Dean Elgar at point.

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Jack Leach followed team orders in attempting to be aggressive and welcomed Marco Jansen into the attack with two boundaries but soon lost his off stump.

It implied James Anderson, fresh from his 40th birthday celebration, left with England on 164 for nine. Anderson lasted only one ball with Rabada pinning him in front to make sure his name would go up on the Lord’s honour board and give South Africa control.

A stifling bowling show, led by Kagiso Rabada’s four-for and figures of 4-0-17-0 from Sandeep Sharma, restricted table-toppers Gujarat Titans to a below-par 143 and revived Punjab Kings’ campaign for the playoffs race. Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Liam Livingstone made short work of the chase which they sealed with as many as four overs to spare, and lifted Kings from eighth to fifth spot on the table. More importantly, their net run rate was boosted from -0.470 to -0.229. Titans experimented with the decision of opting to bat but could not stitch any substantial partnerships with regular fall of wickets.

It was Sai Sudharsan’s maiden fifty that steered them from 67 for 4 in the 12th over towards 150, but like captain Hardik Pandya said later, “obviously we were not even close to par”.The early strangle from Kings’ bowlers. Rabada takesShubman Gill’s poor recent form and the lack of a stable batter at No. 3 had been troubling Titans, and their issues were compounded on Tuesday. Wridhhiman Saha swung for the hills down the ground for a stroke-filled 21 off 17 but he and Gill fell in consecutive overs.

Saha swung the next ball for a one-bounce four and hammered a six next over, but he swung one too many when he miscued Rabada to mid-off in the fourth over. Rabada, Eight overs without a boundary. The King’s bowlers not only struck regularly, but they also dried up the boundaries. Sandeep stuck to the length and short-of-good length areas just outside off with a hint of swing and the others, too, bowled to their fields so well that the Titans couldn’t score a boundary for 48 balls. Hardik Pandya crawled to Rabada 1 off six balls before edging one behind after the powerplay ended.

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Rabada takes 4 wickets and takes the match from Table Topper GT

Rahul Chahar then hurt his bowling hand in his first over while collecting a throw from the deep and he walked off immediately. Livingstone completed the over and then got one more, also because he could bowl off-breaks to two left-hand batters with the longer boundary on the leg side. He barely offered any room, and when David Miller tried to end the boundary-less streak, he found long-off for 11 and Titans were 67 for 4. Sudharsan’s maiden fifty lifts Titans. It was almost as if 20-year-old Sudharsan flicked a switch on for boundaries once Miller fell.

He pounced on the short balls and collected fours in consecutive overs off Rishi, Livingstone and the returning Chahar and then one down the ground off Arshdeep Singh to race to 45. Even though Rabada choked the lower order with back-to-back wickets of Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan in the 17th over, Sudharsan pulled Arshdeep for six to bring up his fifty and lead Titans to a more respectable 143 for 8. Dhawan, Rajapaksa go bang, bang. Chasing a below-par total on a pitch that was two-paced and had good bounce for the quicks.

Mayank Agarwal chose to drop himself down further and sent left-hand batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa at No. 3. Shikhar had already dispatched two wide balls for back-to-back fours against his Delhi team-mate Pradeep Sangwan and he found able support in Rajapaksa who struck Shami for two fours when the fast bowler pitched it even slightly short in the third over. Alzarri Joseph came on for Sangwan and got the same treatment. Shikhar ramped him for six and followed it with a tickle down the leg side for four more.

He continued to target the off-side boundary and the big over came when Sangwan returned as soon as the powerplay ended. Rajapaksa heaved him for two fours in two balls before Shikhar unleashed another upper cut to make it a 15-run over and reduce the equation to a comfortable 86 off 78.Dhawan, Livingstone give NRR boost. The situation was such that Kings could have cautiously seen through Rashid’s spell and still won. Shikhar was happy to rotate the strike until Lockie Ferguson returned for an eventful over.

South Africa last played Test Cricket six months ago, in a series against West Indies that could be seen as the starting point in their attempt to come back into Test Cricket. They have a new captain, and the side contains no members from the team that attained the number one Test ranking, back in 2012. Faf Du Plessis is the latest member to retire from the golden group, and South Africa began their transition well, with a series win in the West Indies.

The summer is key for South Africa, as they look to make a strong entry in the World Test Championship points table. They finished fifth last time around, and couldn’t play some key home games, which could have helped them finish a little higher. The last cycle though, was full of chaos. There was issues with the board, and Faf Du Plessis did well to see the team through that as skipper, but South Africa struggled to perform in the given phase.

South Africa has been one of the least active teams in the World Test Championship. They lost the chance of hosting some crucial series, when England and Australia called of their series. South Africa now has a good amount of games ahead of them, as they kick of their resurgence. They face India at home, and then travel to New Zealand to take on the World Test Champions, before facing Bangladesh back at home. They have around Ten Tests planned in 2022.

Another factor behind the disturbance in South Africa’s development is the timing of their players retirement. Mark Boucher retired in 2012, and since then South Africa has lost a key player each year. The core of their team slowly fell away, and the side has had to deal with an influx of new players. The lack of stability in the board has been another factor behind that has affected South Africa.

The transformation targets have also been changing, as South Africa keep moving from six to seven players of color in the side, on average. The current condition is to play six players of color, while two must be black Africans.

With some much turbulence, the eleven will be a challenge for South Africa. The top-order is settled with the gritty leader, Dean Elgar holding one spot, along with Aiden Markram, who is doing well across formats. Keegan Peterson is likely to play at number three. He didn’t have a great time in the West Indies, but could be given a few chances to settle into the role. At four and five, South Africa have Rassie Van Der Dussen, and Temba Bavuma. Both players are crucial for South Africa, and are in decent nick as well.

The wicket-keeping spot will be taken by Quinton De Kock, but with De Kock likely to miss one or two games due to family commitments, Kyle Verreynne could come into the eleven at some stage in this series. Generally, South Africa prefer to use a pace bowling all-rounder at number seven, and Wiann Mulder could be the choice, as a fourth pace option.

Keshav Maharaj is fixed as the spinner, and his spot in the side is nowhere near up for debate. The pace attack though contains a handful of options. Anrich Nortje’s injury has ended the debate between Lungi Ngidi, and Duanne Oliver. Both of them could be in the pace attack, along with Rabada, who is another fixed member in the side.

Lungi Ngidi’s fitness is still in doubt, but incase he is fit he is a likely starter. South Africa have a few other pace options, with Marco Jensen likely to find a place in the eleven at some stage in the series.

South Africa hasn’t been at their best over the last few years, following the retirement of several greats. Despite the loss of some superstars though, South Africa are in a good position with their pace attack. They will be without Anrich Nortje for the Test series, but South Africa still has a good set of pacers, and each provide a new dimension to the attack.

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is the most recognizable member of the South African bowling attack, and has played 47 Tests at the young age of 26. He is easily the spearhead of the side, and his aggression, and attitude is what adds fire to South Africa’s bowling. Kagiso Rabada can bowl at high pace, and has a strong bouncer, and a pretty good yorker. He has recently developed a nice slower ball as well, and has had some nice battles with Virat Kohli, and Pujara in the past. Kagiso Rabada will also be chasing a milestone as he is nine wickets away from crossing Vernon Philander’s tally.

Lungi Ngidi

Lungi Ngidi made a strong start to his international career, when India visited in 2017. The last couple of years though has been tough for him. Frequent injuries and niggles has put Ngidi on the sidelines often, and even when fully fit, Ngidi struggles to find the rhythm to make himself a regular in all three formats. With his heigh, Ngidi can extract discomforting bounce, has a great wrist position, and decent pace. He isn’t as fast as the likes of Nortje or Rabada, but has enough to annoy a batter. Longer spells can be expected, as Ngidi tends to succeed when he finds his rhythm after bowling continuously.

Duanne Oliver

Duanne Oliver was once fighting for a spot with Dale Steyn, and was termed to be key member of the attack following Steyn’s retirement. Oliver however, signed a kolpak deal, and was one of the string of South African players who went to play in England. He is the first returnee among the group to be selected for Test Cricket in South Africa again. Back in the Test side, Oliver is now more experienced, and has some nice variety with an ability to bowl accurately in the full-length region, extracting decent movement. He has nice control over his bowling, and could help keep the runs down with an accurate line and length.

Marco Jensen

The last time India visited South Africa, Marco Jensen impressed Virat Kohli, and that helped him get a deal in the IPL earlier this year. He isn’t very experienced, but has the height, and could get the ball to bounce nicely. He is only 21 years, and could be the X-factor in the South African bowling line-up as he is an unknown quantity.

Beuran Hendricks

Beuran Hendricks is the fifth pacer in the side, and will mostly likely be used as injury cover. He has played one Test so far, but has loads of first-class experience. He can swing the ball nicely, doesn’t bowl too fast, but can control his line and length well to irritate the Indian batters.