South Africa is Better Team Than Virat Kohli-Led India, Quips Proteas Pacer Kagiso Rabada

Given how well Indian quicks had done in South Africa and England in 2018 and against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rabada was quoted by ICC as saying: "People will have their opinion."

Kagiso Rabada, who finished as number one on the 2018 ICC Test bowlers rankings, on Wednesday said when South Africa play against India, his side is the best. Given how well Indian quicks had done in South Africa and England in 2018 and against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rabada was quoted by ICC as saying: “People will have their opinion.”

“But obviously, when we play we believe we are the best. The Indians are a good attack; everyone here experienced it when they came down to South Africa. But when we play against them, we will believe we are the best – you have to,” he added.

Rabada also said that his hunger to improve has not diminished. “There are obviously a few goals I would like to achieve and the team as well. Just to improve on what I feel I could have done better last year. There are always things you want to improve on. You never really arrive, ever.”

“I am always looking for places to improve on. But at the same time, I have learnt to acknowledge my strengths and realise that things won’t come so quickly. You have to look at the minor battles,” Rabada concluded.

In the ongoing three-match Test series against Pakistan, the hosts South Africa registered a crushing victory in the Boxing Day Test. Proteas will look to begin their 2019 on a high with a series-clinching win against a demotivated Pakistan team. The Boxing Day Test brought joy for South Africa, who beat Pakistan in every aspect of the game en route to a convincing six-wicket victory in the first Test, a result that sent some jitters in the Pakistan camp.

In a low-scoring affair on a tough pitch, the hosts bowled Pakistan out for sub-200 scores and chased down the target of 149 runs in the fourth innings. Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma and Hashim Amla all got fifties while ‘man-of-the-match’ Duanne Olivier finished with 10 wickets. That Olivier was only playing a support role to Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada speaks of the potency of this South African attack, which operated in the absence of two of their frontline pacers, Vernon Philander and Lungi Ngidi.