In a sport that often glorifies its legends, it’s curious how Kagiso Rabada, despite his historic milestones and remarkable skill, hasn’t always been given the credit he deserves.
His recent accomplishments speak for themselves, but the recognition has followed slowly. Let’s start with a jaw-dropping fact: Rabada is the fastest fast bowler in Test cricket history to reach 300 wickets.
That’s right, he’s quicker than the legendary Waqar Younis, Dale Steyn, and even the mighty Allan Donald. If cricket had a sprint event, Rabada would be the guy blazing down the track, ball in hand, outpacing everyone else.
Now, let’s take a stroll down memory lane and compare Rabada to some of the greats. Remember Dennis Lillee? The Aussie terror who could make batsmen quake in their boots? Well, Rabada reached 250 wickets in the same number of matches (53) as Lillee, Richard Hadlee, and Joel Garner. That’s like being in a boyband with Elvis, Michael Jackson, and Freddie Mercury!
Survivorship bias and Anchoring effect.
Because we only remember the stars and happy memories, its makes the past more glorifying than it was. KG Rabada is a great in his own right. He may be no wasim akrama or allan donald. But those tow never played in T20 era. I promise you even they would have struggled to be good across 3 fomats, days where batters would take them apart, injury scares due to work exertion.
Rabada’s too darn good. He delivers day in and day out for a moderate South African team. The South African team’s batting lineup is far from previous eras. The lack of runs on the board adds pressure to the broad shoulders of Rabada, who is the leader of the pack
Rabada has 300 test wickets in 65 test matches. Not bad for someone who has prioritised T20 leagues over test cricket at times. Players especially bowlers who have done well in test cricket in past 5-6 years despite featuring in T20 cricket and global leagues deserve more praise.
| Bowler | Matches | Wickets | Strike rate (avg no of bowls to take a wicket) |
| K Rabada | 65 | 308 | 38.8 |
| D Steyn | 83 | 439 | 42.3 |
| Waqar Younis | 87 | 373 | 43.4 |
| MD Marshall | 81 | 376 | 46.7 |
| Pat Cummins | 62 | 269 | 46.8 |
| A Donald | 72 | 330 | 47.0 |
| M Starc | 89 | 358 | 48.6 |
| Sir R Hadlee | 80 | 414 | 49.8 |
| Md Shami | 64 | 229 | 50.2 |
| Joel Garner | 58 | 259 | 50.8 |
Kagiso Rabada wastes no time in taking wickets. His strike rate is among the best in the game, averaging just 39 deliveries per wicket—an incredible stat. Batters should beware when Rabada is bowling because the next wicket is never far off. He’s even surpassed the strike rate of his former teammate and arguably one of the greatest Test bowlers of the 21st century, Dale Steyn. If that stat doesn’t prove Rabada’s class, nothing will.
Crux of the matter
So, next time you’re watching a cricket match and Rabada comes steaming in, remember you’re witnessing history in the making. He’s not just bowling; he’s rewriting the record books with every delivery. And who knows? By the time you finish reading this article, he might have taken another wicket or two.
In a world where T20 slugfests dominate headlines, let’s give Kagiso Rabada the respect he deserves. After all, in the grand theater of cricket, he’s not just a player – he’s the star of the show. And if anyone disagrees, well, they might just find themselves facing a Rabada bouncer!
