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PlayersKagiso Rabada fastest to 350 Test wickets, overtakes Dale Steyn as Australia crumble in decider
Kagiso Rabada claimed his 350th Test wicket against Australia, reaching the milestone in a record 13,808 deliveries.
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The third and deciding Test between South Africa and Australia has taken a dramatic turn. By the end of Day 4, one would have imagined Australia were on the front foot, needing 288 runs to win the match and seal the series. But the visitors came under immediate pressure on the final morning, reduced to 22/3 in just seven overs. Kagiso Rabada was the destroyer-in-chief.
The South Africa pacer delivered a lethal spell, dismissing Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head. After claiming the first two wickets, Rabada bowled a full delivery outside off-stump on the final ball of the seventh over, inviting a drive from Head. The ball took the outside edge and went to Marco Jansen at gully, who completed the low catch. It was Rabada's 350th Test wicket.
Rabada fastest to 350 Test wickets by deliveries
He has taken just 13,808 deliveries to reach 350 wickets, the fastest in history in terms of balls bowled. Rabada surpassed Dale Steyn, who previously held the record, having reached the landmark in 14,719 deliveries. Rabada has taken 911 fewer balls to claim 350 Test wickets. A look further down the list establishes that Rabada has surpassed some illustrious names to claim the record. Waqar Younis is third on the list, followed by Malcolm Marshall and Mitchell Starc.
| Rank | Bowler | Deliveries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kagiso Rabada (SA) | 13,808 |
| 2 | Dale Steyn (SA) | 14,719 |
| 3 | Waqar Younis (PAK) | 14,905 |
| 4 | Malcolm Marshall (WI) | 16,285 |
| 5 | Mtchell Starc (AUS) | 16,908 |
While Rabada has taken fewer deliveries to reach the milestone, Steyn achieved it in fewer matches. The third Test between South Africa and Australia is Rabada's 75th match. Steyn had 350 wickets by the end of his 69th Test. Rabada is now the second-fastest South African in terms of matches to reach 350 wickets. He surpassed Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini to occupy that position on the list.
This adds another significant milestone to his illustrious career. Rabada becomes only the fourth bowler from South Africa to have 350 wickets or more in Test cricket. Steyn leads the tally with 439 wickets in 93 Tests, followed by Pollock with 421 wickets in 108 matches. Makhaya Ntini has 390 wickets in 101 Tests.
Rabada was also the fastest to reach 300 Test wickets in terms of deliveries. He achieved the record on 21 October 2024 against Bangladesh when he dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim. Rabada took 11,817 deliveries to reach that milestone, surpassing Waqar Younis, who took 300 wickets in 12,602 deliveries. Since then, Rabada has taken just 1,991 deliveries and 10 Tests to claim his next 50 wickets.
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Rabada's return boosts SA bowling attack
Rabada's presence has bolstered the South African bowling in the series, and that is evident from the results. He missed the first Test in Durban while recovering from an injury. Australia won the match by 214 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
He returned for the next match at Gqeberha and claimed six wickets. While there were other major contributions from skipper Temba Bavuma and Marco Jansen in South Africa's victory by an innings and 31 runs, Rabada's presence added greater potency to the home side's bowling attack.
The two teams arrived in Cape Town with the series tied 1-1 and the No.1 spot in the ICC Test rankings on the line. The Proteas batted first and posted 329 runs in the first innings; Australia replied with 429, taking a lead of 100. In the second innings, South Africa recovered from an early setback and posted 387, setting the visitors a target of 288 in the fourth innings.
During the home team's second innings, some of the batters' shot selections drew criticism, given the significance of the match. With 288 to chase, Australia were touted as the favourites. But Rabada has altered the course of the contest. His devastating spell, which decimated the Australian top order, has put South Africa firmly in the driver's seat. At lunch on Day 5, Australia were reeling at 60/7, still needing 228 runs to win the match.
