Kagiso Rabada will have a year to remember, in which he has become the Proteas’ spearhead in the absence of Dale Steyn, and has risen to No 1 in the ODI Bowler rankings.

Rabada has made a name for himself in Test cricket in the last year, picking up 42 wickets in nine matches at an average of 23.16. His best performance in the whites came when he took 6-55 against Sri Lanka in Cape Town. His solid red-ball showing over the past twelve months has seen him move to No 7 on the Test Bowler rankings and become the highest-ranked Proteas bowler.

It was in ODIs, however, where Rabada has truly shone of late. Rabada took 28 wickets in 18 innings at an average of 30.21. His best white-ball figures of the past year came against England, where he captured 4-39 to secure a consolation victory for the Proteas at Lord’s.

His fine display against England also saw him reach No 1 on the ODI Bowler rankings. In the process, Rabada became the youngest bowler to reach the summit of the rankings since Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq in 1998.

He is yet to prove himself, however, in the Champions Trophy and will look to back up his No 1 ranking with some crucial scalps against Pakistan on Wednesday.

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