Published By: Sanchari Das

Kagiso Rabada's Rise to 300 Wickets: A Look at His Best Test Spells

South Africa's speedster Kagiso Rabada became the fastest to 300 Test wickets by balls bowled, achieving the feat in just 11,817 deliveries during the first Test against Bangladesh

Kagiso Rabada has established himself as one of the finest fast bowlers in modern cricket. In a career brimming with fierce spells, the South African pacer has now reached a historic milestone becoming the sixth South African of 300 Test wickets. This milestone was reached during the first Test against Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka.

Rabada, who dismissed former Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim for 11 in his opening spell, joins the ranks of legends like Dale Steyn, Shaun Pollock, and Allan Donald. He is also the third fastest South African to reach the 300-wicket mark, achieving the feat in his 65th Test, behind only Steyn and Donald.

Now, let us have a look at Rabada's best test spells.

7/112 vs. England, 2016

Rabada's breakthrough performance came during the fourth Test against England at Centurion in 2016. His fiery 7/112 spell was the key factor in South Africa's commanding victory. England, chasing 475, were bowled out for 342 in the first innings, largely due to Rabada's relentless bowling. In the second innings, they crumbled to 101. His ability to extract pace and bounce from the surface left the English batters clueless, propelling South Africa to a 280-run win.

6/32 vs. England, 2016

Just days after his career-defining 7-wicket haul, Rabada once again proved his consistency with a devastating 6/32 spell in the second innings of the same Test series. In the fourth Test against England at Centurion in February 2016, England was bowled out for a mere 101 runs, largely due to Rabada's unplayable deliveries. The Proteas, having set a huge target, secured a 280-run victory.

5/92 vs Australia, 2016

Later in November 2016, Rabada delivered yet another match-winning spell, this time against Australia in Perth. After Australia managed to gain a narrow two-run lead, Rabada responded with a brilliant 5/92 spell, destroying Australia's top order in their second innings. His in-swinger to dismiss Usman Khawaja was the highlight of the match, with experts calling it the ball of the series. Australia's batting collapsed under his pressure, as they were bowled out for 361, handing South Africa a memorable victory by 177 runs.

6/55 vs. Sri Lanka, 2017

Against Sri Lanka in 2017, Rabada produced another sensational spell, taking 6/55 in the second innings to secure a huge win for South Africa. After South Africa posted 392, Sri Lanka crumbled to 110 in their first innings. Chasing an improbable 507 runs in the second innings, Sri Lanka looked to be on the road to recovery, but Rabada's six-wicket haul ended their hopes. His devastating spell ensured a 282-run victory for South Africa, further cementing his reputation as a match-winner.

5/96 vs Australia, 2018

During the heated South Africa-Australia series in 2018, Rabada delivered another match-winning performance. In the second Test in Gqberha, he ripped through the Australian batting line-up, taking 5/96. Australia posted 243 in the first innings, but Rabada's ferocious pace and movement made batting a nightmare for them. His efforts helped South Africa win by six wickets.

6/54 vs Australia, 2018

Rabada's dominance over Australia continued just a few days later, still in March 2018, in Port Elizabeth. This time, he delivered a stunning 6/54 in the second innings, decimating Australia's batters once again. His ability to swing the ball both ways and generate bounce left the Australians clueless. Rabada finished the match with an 11-wicket haul, leading South Africa to an emphatic six-wicket win.