If Kagiso Rabada is declared fit for South Africa’s upcoming Test series against Australia, the tourists will know exactly how dangerous he can be.
ALSO READ: Proteas vs Australia: Which Team Has The Better Test Bowling Attack?
Few bowlers of the modern era have enjoyed facing Australia quite as much as the Proteas spearhead.
Rabada has taken 58 wickets in just 11 Tests against Australia at an average of 21.39, numbers that are even better than his outstanding overall Test career average. Among fast bowlers over the past decade, only India’s Jasprit Bumrah has taken more wickets against Australia at a superior average.
And Rabada hasn’t simply accumulated wickets against the Aussies.
He has repeatedly produced his best when the stakes have been highest.
The 2018 Masterclass
Arguably Rabada’s greatest performance against Australia came at St George’s Park in Gqeberha in 2018, which will also host the second Test of the upcoming series.
South Africa had lost the opening Test in Durban and needed a response.
Rabada provided it.
The then 22-year-old took 5/96 in Australia’s first innings before ripping through the visitors with 6/54 in the second, finishing with remarkable match figures of 11/150 as South Africa won by six wickets to level the series.
It remains the second-best match haul by a South African bowler against Australia in Test cricket.
The performance was even more remarkable because of the way Rabada changed the game in Australia’s first innings. At one stage, he claimed five wickets in the space of just 18 deliveries, transforming the contest with one devastating burst.
His reward was a return to the top of the ICC Test bowling rankings with a career-high rating of 902 points.
South Africa eventually won that unforgettable series 3-1.
Seven years later, Rabada would produce another defining performance against the same opposition, this time with an even bigger prize on the line.
Rabada Rules At Lord’s
The 2025 ICC World Test Championship final gave Rabada arguably the biggest stage of his Test career.
Australia entered the match as defending world champions.
Rabada tore through them.
After Temba Bavuma elected to bowl at Lord’s, Rabada immediately settled into his work, opening with three consecutive maidens before dismissing Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in his fourth over.
He went on to take 5/51, his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as Australia were bowled out for 212.
But KG wasn’t finished.
Australia threatened to build a potentially match-winning lead in their second innings before Rabada struck again, taking 4/59 as the defending champions were dismissed for 207.
His match figures? 9/110.
Aiden Markram’s magnificent 136 and Bavuma’s courageous 66 subsequently carried South Africa towards a five-wicket victory and their first ICC senior men’s title since 1998.
Markram understandably received enormous praise for his match-winning century.
But without Rabada’s nine wickets, South Africa may never have been in a position to chase the target in the first place.
Australia Bring Out The Best In KG
The numbers tell an impressive story:
- Tests vs Australia: 11
- Wickets: 58
- Bowling average: 21.39
- Best match figures: 11/150
That is an exceptional body of work against one of Test cricket’s strongest batting nations.
What makes Rabada so effective against Australia is that his skill set is particularly well suited to confronting aggressive batters.
At his best, he doesn’t need exaggerated swing or seam movement to take wickets. His natural pace, bounce and ability to attack the stumps mean he can create chances even when conditions aren’t overwhelmingly favourable to fast bowling.
He also has the temperament for the confrontation.
Australia traditionally attempt to impose themselves on opposition attacks. Rabada has never appeared intimidated by that approach. If anything, the intensity of the contest seems to bring more out of him.
Australia’s Familiar Foe Returns
That history makes Rabada’s fitness one of the biggest storylines heading into the three-Test series, which begins at Kingsmead on 9 October before moving to Gqeberha and Cape Town.
Rabada is currently recovering from the right hamstring injury that ruled him out of the ODI series against Australia.
The encouraging news for South Africa is that he has been named in the Proteas’ preliminary squad for the opening Test.
Head coach Shukri Conrad said Rabada’s rehabilitation was progressing well and that South Africa would use their extended preparation period in Durban to determine whether their premier fast bowler is ready for the series opener.
There is no need for the Proteas to gamble recklessly with his fitness.
Marco Jansen has developed into one of the world’s leading Test bowlers, while Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch give Conrad several fast-bowling options.
But a fit Rabada changes the complexion of the attack.
Jansen’s height and left-arm angle combined with Rabada’s pace, bounce and relentless wicket-taking threat would give Australia one of the toughest new-ball examinations in world cricket.
And then there’s the psychological factor.
Several members of Australia’s squad were at Lord’s when Rabada took nine wickets to help end their reign as world Test champions.
They know what happens when KG gets going.
Lwanele is the Content Manager for BetJets News and has dedicated six years to creating top-notch sports betting content for major bookmakers, establishing himself as a trusted source for betting advice. As the resident tipster for TAB’s popular TV show Racing Today, he specialises in cricket, MMA, and soccer betting. Known for his keen analysis and practical tips, Lwanele provides BetJets readers with the tools they need to approach betting with confidence and strategy.
