In Mumbai, South African captain Temba Bavuma expressed immense privilege in having Kagiso Rabada, the country’s leading fast bowler, in his squad. Bavuma firmly believes that “KG will definitely go down as one of the greats of the game.”
“As a captain, I am incredibly fortunate to rely on him. He leads our fast bowling unit, setting high standards that others eagerly follow. I’m confident he’ll continue to dominate for several more years, as long as his passion remains strong. Kagiso is undoubtedly on track to be remembered as one of cricket’s legends,” Bavuma remarked. Rabada boasts an impressive record of 336 wickets in 71 Tests at an average of 21.74. These comments were made during the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old paceman played a crucial role in South Africa’s World Test Championship final triumph over Australia at Lord’s in June. He delivered an outstanding performance, taking five wickets for 51 runs and four for 59 runs, culminating in a match haul of nine for 110, as he dismissed the Australians for 212 in both innings.
Bavuma shared a recent conversation: “Statistically, his record speaks for itself. I was just talking to Hashim Amla a couple of days ago, and he put Kagiso on the same level as Dale Steyn, perhaps even suggesting he’s a bit better. That conversation alone highlights Kagiso’s immense stature.”
Beyond the statistics, Bavuma lauded Rabada’s character: “It’s his competitiveness and relentless drive to remain the world’s No.1 bowler that truly set him apart,” he added.
Bavuma described South Africa’s World Test Championship final victory as a “significant leap forward” for the nation. “We entered the WTC cycle with the final in our sights, and once we got there, we pushed to see how far we could go. South Africa has unfortunately experienced much heartbreak in past finals and ICC events. Many of our players are motivated by that history, striving to achieve something truly different for the country. For a nation like ours, which isn’t a financial powerhouse akin to India, England, or Australia, winning the WTC final sends a powerful message to the international cricket community,” he stated.
The victory also marked a personal triumph for Bavuma, who had faced scrutiny over his position in the team. He contributed scores of 36 and 66 in the WTC final, bringing his total to 3,708 runs in 64 Tests at an average of 38.22.
“As a leader, this was monumental for me. When I took over as captain a few years ago, there were questions about my leadership, and I was still developing my game and understanding myself. There was also internal friction within Cricket South Africa at the time, making it a challenging period for a young captain. From a team perspective, our goal was to reclaim our spot among the world’s elite, following in the footsteps of legends like AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla. The journey has been tough, but the WTC win truly put everything into perspective,” Bavuma concluded.