Kagiso Rabada is on track to become South Africa’s most successful Test bowler. When is he likely to achieve that mantle? Photo: BackpagePix
How long until Kagiso Rabada breaks Dale Steyn’s Proteas Test record?
Kagiso Rabada is on track to become South Africa’s most successful Test bowler. When is he likely to achieve that mantle?
Kagiso Rabada is on track to become South Africa’s most successful Test bowler. When is he likely to achieve that mantle? Photo: BackpagePix
Kagiso Rabada’s performances with the ball – and bat – went a long way to helping the Proteas triumph in the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch on Tuesday.
READ | NEW ZEALAND’S ICC TEST CROWN TEETERING AFTER PROTEAS DEFEAT
Rabada picked up eight wickets – 5-60 and 3-46 – and also weighed in with 53 priceless runs – 6 and 47 – in a Test South Africa won by 198 runs to square the two-Test series.
He was named man of the match for his efforts.
Those eight wickets saw Rabada move to 52nd place in the all-time list of leading Test wicket-takers with 243 scalps, in what was coincidentally his 52nd Test.
WATCH | WILL YOUNG TAKES ONE OF THE GREATEST TEST CATCHES EVER!
Kagiso Rabada, who will turn 27 on 25 May this year, is one wicket behind New Zealand’s South Africa-born change bowler, Neil Wagner, and has greats of the game like Australia’s Richie Benaud (248) and the West Indies’ Michael Holding (249) just ahead of him.
What would constitute a ‘legendary’ career for Kagiso Rabada when all is said and done?
He’s certainly not going to get anywhere near the all time record of 800 Test wickets by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan, nor the most by a fast bowler of 640 (and counting) by England’s James Anderson who lies third overall.
READ | DEWALD BREVIS: THE 18-YEAR-OLD WITH A R6 MILLION IPL CONTRACT
Rabada’s goal should perhaps be to become the No 1 South African wicket-taker of all time.
That record is currently held by Dale Steyn who took 439 wickets before hanging up his spikes.
Kagiso Rabada is currently 194 wickets behind and at his current average of 4.67 wickets per Test, that would mean he would need to play roughly another 42 Tests.
Covid-19 disruptions aside, that means another five or so years – until his 32nd birthday – of staying injury-free and maintaining his current Test/wicket rate.
READ | MARK BOUCHER: SA MILLIONAIRES TO BANKROLL PROTEAS GREAT’S LEGAL TEAM
Certainly not impossible, despite the fact Test cricket appears to be dying a quick death with fewer and fewer meaningful series being played.
Rabada is currently the seventh-highest South African Test wicket-taker with all-rounder Jacques Kallis ahead of him on 291 wickets.
Rabada’s next Test assignment is scheduled to be two Tests against Bangladesh in South Africa, but they clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) which may see him play one – or none – of those matches.
READ | PROTEAS SUPERSTAR SNAPPED UP FOR MEGA BUCKS IN IPL AUCTION
TOP 15 SOUTH AFRICA TEST WICKET-TAKERS OF ALL TIME:
Players highlighted in green are currently active
