Kagiso Rabada Profile: Career, Records, IPL Stats, and Fast-Bowling Milestones

This article is an in-depth look at Kagiso Rabada’s career, highlighting his fast-bowling milestones, IPL success, and rise to the top of world cricket at a young age

Kagiso Rabada’s Player Bio

Full Name: Kagiso Rabada (Nickname: KG)
Born: 25 May 1995, Johannesburg, South Africa
Role: Right-arm fast bowler | Left-hand bat
Bowling Speed: Regularly 140-150 km/h
Teams: South Africa, Delhi Capitals (IPL), Gauteng, Kent, Jozi Stars
Known For: Express pace, bounce, yorkers, and elite efficiency across formats

Kagiso Rabada’s Career Foundations, Bowling Style & Key Strengths

Early Life & Fast-Tracked Rise

Kagiso Rabada was born in Johannesburg and educated at St Stithians Boys’ College, where his raw pace, athletic build, and competitive edge stood out early. Coaches quickly identified him as a fast bowler capable of succeeding at the highest level.

His national breakthrough came at the 2014 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, where South Africa lifted their maiden title. Rabada finished as the team’s highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets, producing the best figures of the tournament (6/25) against Australia in the semi-final.

That campaign fast-tracked his career. He made his first-class debut in early 2014, and by the end of the same year, Rabada had already made his international debut at just 19, marking one of the fastest rises for a South African quick.

Rise to World’s Best Fast Bowler

Rabada’s transition from prodigy to elite fast bowler was swift and emphatic. In 2016, he became the youngest South African to take a 10-wicket haul in Tests, announcing himself as the leader of the attack.

During his first Test series against Australia, he delivered a match-winning 11/150, levelling the series and underlining his ability to perform against top opposition.

By January 2018, at just 22 years old, Rabada reached the No.1 ranking in both ICC Test and ODI bowling charts – a rare achievement. Later that year, he became the youngest bowler to reach 150 Test wickets, and Wisden named him the Best Young Player in the World (2018).

Kagiso Rabada’s Records, Firsts & Elite Milestones

Fastest to 300 Test wickets (by balls) – achieved in 11,817 deliveries
300 Test wickets at elite efficiency – average under 23, strike rate under 40
Youngest to 150 Test wickets (July 2018)
ODI hat-trick on debut – 6/16 vs Bangladesh (2015)
First South African to take a T20I hat-trick
Under-19 World Cup winner (2014) – best figures (6/25), 14 wickets

Kagiso Rabada’s Playing Style, Strengths & Limitations

Kagiso Rabada is a genuine express fast bowler built to attack, not contain. His game is centered around pace, bounce, and wicket-taking intent across formats.

How he bowls

Delivers consistently at 140-150 km/h
Hits hard lengths with steep bounce
Uses swing and reverse swing effectively
Possesses deadly yorkers at the death
Operates primarily as a strike bowler, especially in big moments

Strengths

Elite pace and aggression
Proven match-winner in Tests and the IPL
Excellent strike rate across formats
Performs well under pressure in major games

Weaknesses

Aggressive temperament has led to suspensions
Heavy workload requires careful management
Can be expensive on flat, batting-friendly T20 pitches

Kagiso Rabada’s International & IPL Career Overview

International Career in Brief

Kagiso Rabada made his T20I debut in November 2014 against Australia, immediately impressing with his pace and composure.

His rise accelerated in July 2015, when he produced one of the greatest ODI debuts in history, taking a hat-trick and finishing with 6/16 against Bangladesh.

Later in 2015, Rabada made his Test debut against India and adapted seamlessly to red-ball cricket. During the 2015–16 England tour of South Africa, he claimed a match haul of 13/144, becoming the youngest South African to take a 10-wicket haul in a Test.

Kagiso Rabada’s IPL Career in Brief

Kagiso Rabada has been one of the most dominant fast bowlers in IPL history, valued for his ability to strike early and deliver under pressure at the death.

Fastest bowler to 100 IPL wickets, achieved in just 64 matches

Delhi Capitals (2017–2021)

Bought at age 21
25 wickets in 12 matches (2019) – second-highest wicket-taker
Purple Cap winner (IPL 2020) with 30 wickets
Played a key role in DC’s rise as title contenders

Punjab Kings (2022–2024)

Lead overseas fast bowler
23 wickets in his first season, despite team struggles

Gujarat Titans (2025–present)

Signed for ₹10.75 crore ahead of IPL 2025
Appointed as a senior strike bowler

Kagiso Rabada’s IPL Highlights & Pressure Performances

2019: Second-highest wicket-taker (25 wickets)
2020: Purple Cap winner (30 wickets)
2023: Reached 100 IPL wickets
Super Over (2019): Defended 10 runs with six consecutive yorkers
Super Over (2020): Conceded just 2 runs while taking 2 wickets
Regularly trusted in death overs by multiple franchises

Kagiso Rabada Overall Stats

Kagiso Rabada Bowling Performance Summary

Metric	Tests	ODIs	T20Is	FC	List A	T20s
Matches (Mat)	73	106	72	93	124	239
Innings (Inns)	134	104	72	171	121	236
Balls	13436	5444	1537	17384	6352	5198
Runs	7493	4613	2161	9405	5460	7059
Wickets (Wkts)	340	168	78	415	189	294
BBI	7/112	6/16	3/18	9/33	6/16	4/21
BBM	13/144	6/16	3/18	14/105	6/16	4/21
Average (Ave)	22.03	27.45	27.70	22.66	28.88	24.01
Economy (Econ)	3.34	5.08	8.43	3.24	5.15	8.14
Strike Rate (SR)	39.5	32.4	19.7	41.8	33.6	17.6
4w	15	6	0	18	8	8
5w	17	2	0	20	2	0
10w	4	0	0	5	0	0

Kagiso Rabada Batting and Fielding Summary

Metric	Tests	ODIs	T20Is	FC	List A	T20s
Matches (Mat)	73	106	72	93	124	239
Innings (Inns)	110	45	28	132	55	92
Not Outs (NO)	20	18	16	23	21	43
Runs	1102	401	184	1326	450	518
High Score (HS)	71	31*	22	71	31*	44
Average (Ave)	12.24	14.85	15.33	12.16	13.23	10.57
Balls Faced (BF)	2131	507	157	2549	579	480
Strike Rate (SR)	51.71	79.09	117.19	52.02	77.72	107.91
100s	0	0	0	0	0	0
50s	1	0	0	1	0	0
4s	139	30	18	170	36	46
6s	20	12	6	24	12	18
Catches (Ct)	34	41	24	43	45	78
Stumpings (St)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Kagiso Rabada FAQs

What are Kagiso Rabada’s best bowling figures on debut?

Rabada took 6/16 with a hat-trick on his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2015.

Has Kagiso Rabada won the IPL Purple Cap?

Yes, Rabada won the IPL 2020 Purple Cap after taking 30 wickets for Delhi Capitals.

Which IPL teams has Kagiso Rabada played for?

Rabada has represented Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and Gujarat Titans in the IPL.

What makes Kagiso Rabada special as a fast bowler?

His ability to bowl at 140–150 km/h, extract bounce, and deliver under pressure makes him a consistent match-winner.

Is Kagiso Rabada the fastest to 300 Test wickets?

Yes, Rabada is the fastest bowler to 300 Test wickets by balls bowled.

Did Kagiso Rabada play in the Under-19 World Cup?

Yes, he was a key member of South Africa’s 2014 Under-19 World Cup–winning team and the side’s highest wicket-taker.

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