I believe it was Agent Kay in the late 20th-century classic, Men in Black, who said, “Who knows what you’ll know 15 minutes from now.” The topic being discussed in that movie was the ever-changing nature of information and how what we know changes over time.
For virtually the entire history of cricket as a sport, we’ve “known” that fast bowlers cannot be captains. They were supposedly too selfish, too grumpy, or too tired from bowling to focus on the whole captaincy thing. Imran Khan, the great Imran Khan, is the only fast bowler represented in the list of the top 20 most matches captained. It would be unfair to say that there isn’t more than a hint of logic to the idea that fast bowlers can’t captain. It is, after all, quite the job. Fast bowlers also hide at fine leg more than any player not completely incompetent in the field. If it’s hard to drive from the backseat, I think it is almost impossible to captain from fine leg.
But this year, something special has happened. Patrick Cummins, arguably the standout fast bowler of his generation, has won two ICC trophies in the same year, in two different formats. There is a revolution in the air, and South Africa would be well-served to be early surfers of the new wave.
In Kagiso Rabada, the Proteas have their most ever-ready stalwart. He’s been in the international game for nearly a decade, has been ranked number one in the world in both white ball and red ball cricket, and his spot in the side is currently beyond reproach. He’s also in his prime, which suggests his performances should continue to keep him an unquestioned member of the side.
Following successive World Cups where the captain’s spot in the side has been, rightly or wrongly, questioned, and considering Temba Bavuma will be 36 years old by the time the 2027 World Cup rolls in, I genuinely cannot see a single reason why Kagiso Rabada shouldn’t be the leader of the Proteas in the next four-year cycle.
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