Story audio is generated using AI
Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith believes Kagiso Rabada has the potential to cement his place among the greatest fast bowlers of all time — provided he manages the latter stages of his career carefully.
Rabada enjoyed a stellar 2026 Indian Premier League campaign, claiming 29 wickets to secure the Purple Cap as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
While Smith believes the Proteas spearhead has already achieved legendary status in Test cricket, he feels there is still room for growth in the white-ball formats.
Rabada’s red-ball record is among the best in the modern era. The 31-year-old has taken 340 wickets in 73 Tests, making him the sixth South African to surpass the 300-wicket mark.
He is also South Africa’s fourth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and holds the record as the first bowler to reach 300 wickets in terms of deliveries bowled, needing just 11,817 balls. Rabada also boasts the best strike rate [39.5] among all bowlers with more than 300 Test wickets.
His white-ball numbers, while still impressive, tell a different story.
He has taken 251 wickets in 185 limited-overs internationals, leading Smith to believe there is another level he can still unlock.
“Rabada has legendary status in the red-ball game, where his record is just incredible, but in the white-ball game he’s still sometimes been trying to work out his best way to go about things,” Smith said in a blog post for Betway Insider.
“In T20 cricket you have to navigate bowling in different situations, but Rabada’s quality is always going to come in the difficult, crunch times.
“His quality means he’s never going to be given easy overs.”
Since making his IPL debut for the then Delhi Daredevils in 2017, Rabada has seen only two campaigns disrupted — missing the entire 2018 season through injury and featuring in just two matches in 2025 before another setback curtailed his involvement.
His 2026 Purple Cap win with Gujarat Titans was the second of his career after his 30-wicket haul for Delhi Capitals in 2020.
Across nine IPL seasons, Rabada has claimed 148 wickets in 101 matches. He reached that mark in 27 fewer games than Trent Boult, with the pair tied for fifth on the list of leading overseas wicket-takers in tournament history.
He is the leading South African wicket-taker in IPL history, sitting 51 wickets clear of Dale Steyn’s 97.
Smith acknowledged the challenges that come with modern cricket’s demanding schedule but backed Rabada to continue climbing the all-time rankings.
“The thing that really stood out to me this year was his pace. It was great to see him running in and maximising his four overs.
“From a captain’s perspective, it was clear to see his role was to bowl fast and take wickets, and he was clear in that role.
“It’s now going to be about managing his career, making sure he stays motivated and plays in the tournaments that he sees fit.
“Obviously he’s naturally a fit guy; he works hard and he’s athletic, so you would think that if he’s managed well, he should be OK.”
- Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.