Rabada pins India down with five-for in Boxing Day Test

Kagiso Rabada has stepped up again. South Africa won the toss in the Boxing Day Test against India and opted to bowl. Rabada, South Africa’s most experienced seamer, vindicated that call by completing a five-wicket haul before Tea. 

The 28-year was rested from the ODIs and T20Is against India to recover from a heel injury sustained during the 50-over World Cup. He was scheduled to play a four-day fixture ahead of this series to prepare. However, that plan was shelved and Rabada was doubtful to start this Test on the eve of the game. 

But on Tuesday, India’s worst nightmare came true with Rabada not only playing, but fetching five wickets. He dismissed Rohit Sharma to break the wickets column and followed it by pouching Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Shardul Thakur. His spell reduced India to 176/7 at Tea. 

Rabada dismissed Rohit Sharma playing to the strength of the batter. The plan worked to perfection by enticing Rohit to pull with a fine leg in place. The Indian skipper walked back for 5 in the fifth over of the match. 

When India threatened to come back into the game through a promising partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer (68 from 95 deliveries), Rabada removed both batters soon after Lunch. 

The speedster cleaned up Iyer, cutting one through the gap between his bat and pad. Four overs later, he had Kohli’s number with a peach. Kohli was looking in control with his drives down the ground, scoring 38 off 64 balls. Rabada landed the ball in the good length area, angling the ball in around the off stump, compelling Kohli to defend the ball instead of shouldering arms. Just as Kohli shaped himself for the defensive stroke, the ball shaped away to kiss the outside edge, reducing India to 107/6. 

Hurting India at the top and in the middle, Rabada also snatched wickets from the lower order, pocketing Ashwin and Thakur. 

With this spell, Rabada also completed 500 wickets in international cricket, becoming only the sixth bowler to reach the feat before turning 29. He also continued his love affair with the Super Sport Park, snaffling his fourth five-for at the venue in eight Tests. In 15 innings here, he now has 55 wickets at 16.5 runs apiece. 

Surprisingly, this is his first five-for against India in any format.