EXCLUSIVE: It's all about the medals not numbers for me, says Proteas' Kagiso Rabada
Image: BackpagePix
'Any great gift of power or talent is a burden ... But there is nothing to be done.
'If you were born with the gift, then you must serve it, and nothing in this world or out of it may stand in the way of that service, because that is why you were born and that is the Law,' writes Susan Cooper, an English author of children's books.
I can't help but think Cooper's words may have been prescribed for Proteas superstar Kagiso Rabada.
A Junior World Champion at 18. Now a World Test Champion at 30. It's as if Rabada's script was written for him.
'I think it's amazing, man. So many times we've been inspired by various South Africans… South Africans going around the world, showing their best putting their best foot forward,' Rabada exclusively told Independent Media.
'The rugby did that, the football did that. And now it was our turn.
'It's just crazy how many South Africans are doing so well. So, luckily, we could do that.
Kagiso Rabada sits down for an exclusive interview with Independent Media's Zaahier Adams. Picture: Independent Media
Image: Independent Media
'I mean, we have done well, but we needed that silverware, and we got it. You check guys on the podium lifting whatever they're lifting up.
"You're like, 'I want to be on that stage. Be the best team'. And we were the best team.
'So, I think it's a massive relief. We're glad that we could contribute to the hope that we give to the country.'
The sense of duty to Mzansi filters through Rabada's voice. Even more so now after he recently succumbed to his own desires for once.
But again as if Cooper's words were ringing in his ears, Rabada took responsibility for his actions, and began plotting the way forward about how best he could serve his country with the God-given talents he was bestowed with.
There was no bigger stage to redeem himself than the World Test Championship Final at Lord's.
History tells us that Rabada had the Dukes' ball zinging up the Lord's slope as he scythed through the Australian batting line-up on a rip-roaring opening day with the talisman etching his name on the Lord's Honours Board yet again with a second five-wicket haul at The Home of Cricket.
In the process, he moved past the original torchbearer of South African fast bowling Allan Donald to confirm his status among the pantheon of greats.
He now has 336 Test wickets with only Makhaya Ntini (390), Shaun Pollock (421) and Dale Steyn (439) on the all-time national wicket-takers' list.
With the Proteas currently limited to two-match series, and not having a single home red-ball fixture for the entire 2025/26 international season, it may require a superhuman effort from Rabada to ultimately overtake Steyn at the top of the perch.
Considering the circumstances, the current two-match series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo would have been low-lying fruit for Rabada to pluck in a bid to close the gap on Steyn.
But much like his U19 captain and WTC Player of the Match, Aiden Markram, who said after Lord's, that 'I'm not here to chase numbers and stats and things like that. I really just want to win stuff for South Africa now,' Rabada sings from the same hymn sheet.
'It's not about me going to Zim and wanting to clean up... Get closer or whatever. No, it's not about that,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Proteas all-rounder revival brings an end to post-Kallis era
Proteas all-rounder Wiaan Mulder will captain South Africa in the second Test against Zimbabwe, starting on Sunday. Photo: BackpagePix That didn't stop South African cricket from trying. In the years since, many all-rounders have come and gone as the Proteas searched in vain for someone who even remotely resembled the greatness of Kallis. It soon became clear that the pursuit was more fairytale than reality. On that Boxing Day Test at Kingsmead in 2013, South African cricket — along with the wider cricketing world — recognised that Kallis' retirement marked the end of an era. A cricketer of his calibre, offering genuine world-class skill with both bat and ball, would likely never grace the field again. A little over a decade ago, the greatest all-rounder the sport of cricket has ever seen, Jacques Kallis, walked away from the game, concluding a career that spanned almost two decades. The surreal feeling of scoring your maiden Test century and claiming your maiden five-wicket haul in the same match! 🤯🔥 Corbin Bosch delivered a powerhouse performance, etching his name into the history books with match-defining moments that showcased his exceptional… Then, in 2016, a teenager still clad in his St Stithians school uniform burst onto the domestic scene. Wiaan Mulder was dismantling seasoned professionals with both bat and ball for the Lions, and suddenly, hopes of discovering the next great Proteas all-rounder reignited. Mulder's early rise saw him fast-tracked into the national set-up, burdened with the near-impossible expectation of replicating Kallis' standards. But international cricket is unforgiving, and those lofty comparisons quickly became suffocating. Despite solid domestic performances, Mulder struggled to make a lasting impact at the highest level, and the once-hopeful conversation began to fade. Fast forward a few years, and a new name emerged — Marco Jansen. Towering and talented, Jansen made an immediate impact with both bat and ball. At the same time, Mulder quietly rebuilt his game. He recently scored his maiden Test century in subcontinent conditions, cementing his role as South Africa's first-choice Test all-rounder. Mulder has since added a second Test century, this time batting at No. 3, and is now on the cusp of leading the side for the first time — set to captain the Proteas in the upcoming second Test against Zimbabwe later this week. Meanwhile, Corbin Bosch has wasted no time making headlines. In just two Test matches, the emerging all-rounder has already notched up a five-wicket haul, a century, and a fifty — a remarkable start that further bolsters the Proteas' all-rounder stocks. It is, of course, still early days. But for the first time in years, South African cricket can begin to dream again — not of replacing Kallis with a single player, but of cultivating a group of versatile, match-ready all-rounders who can deliver when called upon. Lingering behind that front line of Mulder, Jansen, and Bosch is Senuran Muthusamy — a reliable slow left-armer with a solid batting pedigree. In his four-match Test career so far, he has one fifty to his name and continues to offer balance and control. Beyond the national squad, domestic cricket is also producing a promising crop. The Dolphins' Jason Smith, the Lions' Beyers Swanepoel, and Western Province's George Linde are among those keeping the pipeline of talent flowing. Jacques Kallis may have been a once-in-a-generation cricketer, but a new era of South African all-rounders is quietly emerging. And while none may wear the mantle of 'the next Kallis', together, they could form the backbone of a revitalised Proteas side for years to come.
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Diogo Jota: Liverpool's remarkable player and even better human
Well-wishers leave flowers at a memorial set up close to Anfield football ground for their Portuguese forward Diogo Jota in Liverpool, north-west England July 3, 2025. Liverpool striker Diogo Jota died along with his brother early July 3, 2025 in a road accident in northwest Spain, the Spanish Civil Guard said. The accident occurred on a highway in the province of Zamora. The vehicle "left the road" before bursting into flames, the Civil Guard said, adding that the two passengers, Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Felipe, also a professional footballer, were deceased. Picture: Paul Barker/AFP Image: Paul Barker/AFP Diogo Jota was quickly hailed by the Liverpool support as "better than (Luis) Figo" and the shocking death of the Portuguese international on Thursday has left the English champions in mourning. The 28-year-old died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames. A product of the Pacos de Ferreira academy on the outskirts of his native Porto, Jota made his name and played the majority of his professional career in the Premier League. His precocious talent caught the eye of Atletico Madrid who snapped him up in 2016 but he never played a game for the Spanish giants. Jota's Journey: From Porto Loan to Liverpool's £45 Million Signing Amidst Pandemic Challenges Instead, after a loan spell at Porto, Jota was among the first wave of Portuguese talent parachuted into England at then second-tier Wolves due to the club's connections with super-agent Jorge Mendes. Jota's goals helped fire Wolves from the Championship to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in just three seasons. That caught the eye of Liverpool, who splashed out a £45 million ($62 million) transfer fee for the versatile forward even in the midst of the economic meltdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. 'Exceptional player, exceptional boy,' said former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during Jota's early days at Anfield. 'He has everything that a Liverpool player in this squad needs.' Jota's Impact at Liverpool: A Rising Star Jota took little time to deliver some return on Liverpool's investment, becoming the first player in the club's history to score in his first four home games. Once supporters were back in the stands after the pandemic, Jota's popularity was reflected in a chant proclaiming him to be better than Portugal legend Figo, who played for Real Madrid and Barcelona during his decorated career. He was a key part of the side that won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22, narrowly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League for what would have been an unprecedented quadruple.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Proteas all-rounder revival brings an end to post-Kallis era
Proteas all-rounder Wiaan Mulder will captain South Africa in the second Test against Zimbabwe, starting on Sunday. Photo: BackpagePix That didn't stop South African cricket from trying. In the years since, many all-rounders have come and gone as the Proteas searched in vain for someone who even remotely resembled the greatness of Kallis. It soon became clear that the pursuit was more fairytale than reality. On that Boxing Day Test at Kingsmead in 2013, South African cricket — along with the wider cricketing world — recognised that Kallis' retirement marked the end of an era. A cricketer of his calibre, offering genuine world-class skill with both bat and ball, would likely never grace the field again. A little over a decade ago, the greatest all-rounder the sport of cricket has ever seen, Jacques Kallis, walked away from the game, concluding a career that spanned almost two decades. The surreal feeling of scoring your maiden Test century and claiming your maiden five-wicket haul in the same match! 🤯🔥 Corbin Bosch delivered a powerhouse performance, etching his name into the history books with match-defining moments that showcased his exceptional… Then, in 2016, a teenager still clad in his St Stithians school uniform burst onto the domestic scene. Wiaan Mulder was dismantling seasoned professionals with both bat and ball for the Lions, and suddenly, hopes of discovering the next great Proteas all-rounder reignited. Mulder's early rise saw him fast-tracked into the national set-up, burdened with the near-impossible expectation of replicating Kallis' standards. But international cricket is unforgiving, and those lofty comparisons quickly became suffocating. Despite solid domestic performances, Mulder struggled to make a lasting impact at the highest level, and the once-hopeful conversation began to fade. Fast forward a few years, and a new name emerged — Marco Jansen. Towering and talented, Jansen made an immediate impact with both bat and ball. At the same time, Mulder quietly rebuilt his game. He recently scored his maiden Test century in subcontinent conditions, cementing his role as South Africa's first-choice Test all-rounder. Mulder has since added a second Test century, this time batting at No. 3, and is now on the cusp of leading the side for the first time — set to captain the Proteas in the upcoming second Test against Zimbabwe later this week. Meanwhile, Corbin Bosch has wasted no time making headlines. In just two Test matches, the emerging all-rounder has already notched up a five-wicket haul, a century, and a fifty — a remarkable start that further bolsters the Proteas' all-rounder stocks. It is, of course, still early days. But for the first time in years, South African cricket can begin to dream again — not of replacing Kallis with a single player, but of cultivating a group of versatile, match-ready all-rounders who can deliver when called upon. Lingering behind that front line of Mulder, Jansen, and Bosch is Senuran Muthusamy — a reliable slow left-armer with a solid batting pedigree. In his four-match Test career so far, he has one fifty to his name and continues to offer balance and control. Beyond the national squad, domestic cricket is also producing a promising crop. The Dolphins' Jason Smith, the Lions' Beyers Swanepoel, and Western Province's George Linde are among those keeping the pipeline of talent flowing. Jacques Kallis may have been a once-in-a-generation cricketer, but a new era of South African all-rounders is quietly emerging. And while none may wear the mantle of 'the next Kallis', together, they could form the backbone of a revitalised Proteas side for years to come.
