Kagiso Rabada says possibility of joining 300 club will be ‘special landmark’

Proteas pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada is approaching a massive milestone and will be hoping to achieve it during his team’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

Rabada is just nine wickets away from becoming the sixth South African bowler to pick up 300 Test wickets, and will be joining some impressive company.

South African legends Dale Steyn and Shaun Pollock top the Test wicket taking list as the only two SA bowlers to have crossed the 400-wicket threshold, while Makhaya Ntini, Allan Donald and Morne Morkel are the other three ahead of Rabada on the list.

Despite nearing such a significant milestone, Rabada is not stressed about that and is putting all his focus into performing well for the team and trying to help them beat the Windies.

Special landmark

“It will be a very special landmark, but I am not focused on that. It will just be a byproduct (of my performance). I am just focused on making sure that I am there for the team and that I put in a good performance to move them in the right direction,” said Rabada.

“I need to do my part and be a good teammate. Those are the two aspects that I am focusing on more than how I am going to get nine wickets. It will happen in due time, so I don’t think there is any need to think about that too much.

“Because if you do it takes your focus away from getting the job done. Whenever it does happen, whether it is during these two Tests or maybe even the first Test, it will be phenomenal.”

Despite the Proteas‘ impressive Test record over the Windies, Rabada says that although it does give the team confidence, they won’t be taking it for granted and they will still have to put in a top performance if they want to win.

“When you’ve played well against a certain team, you generally have an idea of how to beat them. Psychologically it can relieve a bit of pressure but once you step onto the field, you have to zone all of that out,” explained Rabada.

“You cannot take it for granted. Anything can happen in cricket and if you take it for granted you will be shown up. 

“It is about rocking up and to keep striving to play our best game, regardless of what has happened in the past because when you step over that line, none of it matters, it’s about what happens between the boundary ropes.”