SA pacer Kagiso Rabada equals Jacques Kallis’ Test wicket tally

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada levelled with legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis to become the joint sixth-highest wicket-taker for the Proteas in the longest format of the game. Rabada made this movement in the charts during the second Test between India and South Africa at Cape Town, which lasted for just two days.

In the match, Rabada had figures of 3/38 and 1/34 across both the innings. Now, in just 62 Tests, Rabada has taken 291 wickets at an average of 22.05, with the best bowling figures of 7/112. In comparison, Kallis took 291 wickets in 165 Tests at an average of 32.63, with the best figures of 6/54.

The highest-ever wicket-taker for South Africa in Tests is Dale Steyn, who took 439 wickets in 93 Tests, with the best figures of 7/51. In the two-match series against India, Rabada took 11 wickets in two matches at an average of 14.82, with the best figures of 5/59.

Coming to the match, South Africa elected to bat first and was bundled out for just 55 in 23.2 overs, with Kyle Verreynne (15) and David Bedingham (12) being the sole players to touch double digits. Mohammed Siraj’s fiery spell of 6/15 destroyed the Proteas’ top and middle order, while Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) and Mukesh Kumar (0/2) also took wickets.

In their first innings, India was 153/4 at one point, with solid scores coming from Virat Kohli (46 in 59 balls, with six fours and a six), Rohit Sharma (39 in 50 balls, with seven fours) and Shubman Gill (36 in 55 balls, with five fours), but a Lungi Ngidi three-wicket over sunk India to 153 all out in 34.5 overs. Ngidi (3/30), Kagiso Rabada (3/38) and Nandre Burger (3/42) took three wickets each for SA.

Later in their second innings, SA ended the day one at 62/3, with Aiden Markram (36*) doing the bulk of the scoring. Skipper Dean Elgar managed 12 runs in his final Test innings. Mukesh got two while Bumrah got one wicket. On the next day, though Markram scored a fighting century, a knock of 106 in 103 balls with 17 fours and two sixes, the six-wicket haul by Bumrah (6/61) bundled out SA for 176 in 36.5 overs, setting India just 79 runs to win.

Mukesh Kumar took two wickets while Prasidh Krishna and Siraj got one. With the help of knocks from openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (28) and skipper Rohit Sharma (16*), India chased down the total with seven wickets in hand in 12 overs.
Siraj won the ‘Player of the Match’ award and both sides shared the trophy with the scoreline at 1-1.