PAK vs SA: Kagiso Rabada speeds past 200 Test wickets

Kagiso Rabada has now taken 200 Test wickets. He is the 56th fast bowler and seventh South African bowler to achieve this milestone. What surprises the most about Rabada’s feat isn’t that he’s got there, it’s how he’s got there without any fuss. In a Test carer that is only five years and three months old, Rabada’s 200th wicket is just another step in his ongoing legendary march. Let’s delve deeper in numbers.

In the company of legends

With the wicket of Hasan Ali, Rabada claimed his 200th Test victim in his 44th Test. As a South African, he is the third-fastest behind Dale Steyn (39 Tests) and Allan Donald (42 Tests) in terms of Tests taken to reach this landmark. The overall record belongs to Pakistan’s leg-spinner Yasir Shah who required only 33 Test matches to complete the haul.

The youngest and third-fastest South African to achieve the feat!

Take a bow, @KagisoRabada25 ?#PAKvSA #PAKvsSA pic.twitter.com/f8VbJpEbx5

— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) January 28, 2021

Rabada also finds his place amongst the bowlers who needed the least deliveries to reach the 200-wicket milestone. Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (7730 deliveries) and Steyn (7848 deliveries) are the only two bowlers who reached there quicker. The 25-year old pacer is thus the third-fastest with 8154 balls delivered for 200 scalps.

Also, at this moment, Rabada’s strike rate stands at 40.8 which means he takes a wicket every 6.4 overs. At a qualification limit of 200 Test wickets, Rabada’s strike rate is unmatched in the history of Test cricket. Once again, his closest competitors are Steyn (42.3) and Waqar Younis (43.4).

200th Test wicket of Kagiso Rabada!#PAKvSA #HarHaalMainCricket pic.twitter.com/bfh6IsuMsX

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 28, 2021

The enormity of Rabada’s feat can be understood by the fact that the pace bowler has already pocketed 200 Test wickets and he gives the vibe of someone who has just begun. He led his country’s pace bowling attack at the age of 21 and has already enjoyed being number one ranked bowler in Test cricket. In the racial battle that South Africa continue to fight, Rabada has emerged as their greatest hero. And he still has miles to go.