Cape Town’s Newlands hosted a significant moment on October 31, 2026, as Kagiso Rabada became the second-fastest Proteas bowler to claim 350 Test wickets. The 31-year-old right-arm pacer reached the landmark in his 75th Test appearance, during South Africa’s third Test against Australia.
Three wickets in the opening four overs of the second innings sealed the milestone for Rabada, who had added one scalp in the first innings to set up that moment. His second-innings burst made him only the second South Africa cricketer to reach 350 Test wickets, a mark that places him firmly among the Aussie-series greats of his country.
Dale Steyn remains the fastest South African to the 350-wicket mark, having achieved it in his 69th Test. Globally, Sri Lanka’s Muthiah Muralidaran was the quickest of all, getting there in 66 Tests. Ravichandran Ashwin equalled Muralidaran’s tally in 2019, also reaching 350 wickets in his 66th Test appearance.
What milestones could Rabada still reach in this Test series against Australia?
Rabada’s record against the Australians heading into this series was already formidable: 64 wickets across 12 Tests at an average of 21.1. Steyn holds the record for the most Test wickets by any South African bowler against Australia, with 70 scalps to his name.
If Rabada takes six or more wickets in the second innings of this third Test, he will surpass Steyn’s tally and stand alone as South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Tests against Australia. That would mark a notable shift in the bilateral head-to-head record between the two sides.
Steyn’s overall Test haul of 439 wickets remains the South African benchmark in the format. Rabada, now at 350, has considerable ground to cover before he can challenge that record, though his age and current form suggest the pursuit is far from over.
How does Rabada’s tally compare to South Africa’s all-format wicket records?
Allan Donald holds the record for the most wickets taken by a South African bowler across all formats combined, with 602 scalps. If Rabada continues at his current rate, that combined figure will eventually come into view, though the comparison spans different formats and eras.
In Tests alone, Steyn’s 439-wicket tally is the South African standard. Rabada, at 350 from 75 Tests at age 31, has both the time and the matches remaining to mount a serious challenge to that record.
The milestone at Cape Town places Rabada alongside Steyn and Donald in a very short list of South African bowlers who have crossed 350 Test wickets, a testament to the sustained excellence he has delivered across his career.
