Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada played a key role in South Africa’s series-levelling seven-wicket victory in the second Test against India at the Wanderers, claiming three wickets in each innings.
In particular, Rabada’s second innings spell stood out as he dismissed Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rishabh Pant in quick succession to trigger India’s collapse.
On the eve of the third Test in Cape Town, the right-arm pacer said he is aiming to be the best he can be and there is no limit to it. The series decider will also mark the 50th appearance for Rabada in the longest format of the game.
“As much as it is about taking wickets, it’s about being the best I can be and there’s no limit to that. I feel like I’m nowhere near done. It’s just about coming back and playing the next game. You can never take international cricket for granted. For me it’s about the longevity and not doing it for just a short amount of time. It’s about doing it for a long time and that’s what keeps driving me," said Rabada to the official website of Cricket South Africa.
In 49 Tests so far, the 26-year-old has claimed 229 wickets at an average of 22.57, including 10 five-wicket hauls.
“I think it’s quite special. I didn’t even know how many games I was on and only found out after the last Test match that this would be my 50th. It kind of really goes by without noticing. But it’s something special for me, I’ve always wanted to represent my country, so this is definitely a personal milestone and one that I’ll hold dear to my heart," he added.
Soon after his Test debut against India at Mohali in 2015, Kagiso Rabada became the spearhead of South Africa’s pace attack.
Reflecting on his journey, Rabada said: “There’s been lots of ups and downs, it’s definitely been challenging to keep good performances going for a long amount of time. It’s been tough navigating your way through the lows - I think that’s been quite difficult - and then also trying to get through the external pressures that can influence your game and also influence the team space. Those are things you have to get used to dealing and things you constantly learn how to deal with."
“At the end of the day you almost have to remind yourself to keep enjoying it and remember yourself as this youngster who just wanted to represent your country and show the world what you’re about," he further stated.
Rabada picked a 2-1 Test series win over Australia in 2016 and a 3-2 ODI series win over India in 2015 as the highlights of his career till now.
“The tours that stand out were when we visited India in 2015 and we became the first South African touring team to beat India in an ODI series away from home. Also when we went to Australia in 2016 when a lot of our players were kind of retiring and we really had to dig deep and ended up winning the series 2-1 away from home. Australia is a big challenge away from home and those two series were the highlights of my career thus far."
He feels grateful to have played Test cricket alongside legends such as AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, and Dale Steyn.
“It’s been an honour and privilege to play alongside those big names," Rabada said. “I was watching them in school representing their country and I had a burning desire to play at this level and to play with them, some of my heroes, and that’s been really extraordinary. I still pinch myself till this day. I’ve learnt so much from them. It’s what dreams are made of."
(With IANS inputs)
