Six Test matches. Three wins each. That’s the raw head-to-head between Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins. But stats like that — stripped of context — are a bit like quoting batting averages without mentioning that one guy played on the Wanderers and the other on a green-top in Hobart.
What matters more than the win-loss column is that Rabada has never once been outbowled by Cummins in a series they’ve both played. Not in 2018, not in 2022. Not in South Africa, not in Australia. Every time they’ve stood across from each other, Rabada’s figures have been just as good, often better. But the results? They tell a different story. Because one of them plays for a cricketing superpower, and the other one plays for, well… South Africa.
Let’s break it down. Cummins has the trophies. A World Cup, a World Test Championship, and an Ashes series retained — all under his leadership. Add to that a respectable bowling average, sharp economy, and a batting technique that says “tail-ender but I’ll hang around to annoy you.”
Rabada, meanwhile, has the numbers. A better strike rate than Cummins. More five-wicket hauls. Similar average. And he’s done it while bowling into the wind, often with a plastic bag floating at midwicket because no one in the CSA admin bothered to hire proper ground staff.
But here’s where it gets interesting: both of them are more than just bowlers. They’ve both taken on leadership roles, though in very different ways. Cummins, the poster boy of calm authority, stepped into the Australian captaincy with the confidence of a man who’s been media-trained since birth. He’s clean-cut, well-spoken, a safe pair of hands — or at least that’s the PR spin. And to be fair, he’s delivered. Australia hasn’t fallen apart under him, which already puts him ahead of a few of his predecessors.
Rabada? He’s never officially captained South Africa, but don’t let the absence of a ‘C’ next to his name fool you. Watch him on the field — he sets fields, drives intensity, and leads in the only way that matters in South African cricket: by example. There were moments in Australia where he was the only one leading — snarling through overs, steaming in when others looked ready to check out. South African leadership is a rotating cast at the best of times, but Rabada’s been the constant.
And how about England? That neutral proving ground for bowlers of all stripes. Cummins was steady during the 2019 Ashes, averaging under 20 with the ball and often dragging Australia back into games when their batting decided to go full Bazball before Bazball existed. In 2023, he lifted the WTC trophy at The Oval. He’s no stranger to English conditions.
Rabada hasn’t had as many high-profile England Tests, but when he has played there, he’s held his own. His performance at Lord’s in 2022 — 5 for 52 in the first innings — was a clinic in controlled aggression. He’s taken wickets in Leeds, Manchester, and The Oval too. He’s not just effective in England — he’s dangerous.
Which brings us to the WTC final at Lord’s. One match. One title. No “we’ll bounce back in the next series” safety net. And for Rabada, this is probably it. South Africa isn’t making many more finals without a miracle or a functioning domestic system — both in short supply.
This is his shot. The one thing missing from his CV — team silverware. He’s done the hard yards. Bounced out top orders on flat decks. Played through injury. Carried bowling attacks built around rookies and has-beens. It would be an absolute travesty — a very South African ending — if he joined the Steyns, Donalds, and Morkels of the world in retiring with nothing to show but tired limbs and a polite ICC medal for “participation.”
Cummins? He’s already cemented his place. He’s not playing for legacy anymore — he’s playing for extra pages in the scrapbook. Rabada is still chasing his moment.
And here’s the kicker: if Rabada rips through Australia at Lord’s — if he outbowls Cummins once more and walks away with a trophy in his bag — the narrative changes. Suddenly it’s not “Cummins the Champion and Rabada the Nearly-Man.” It’s Rabada the Equal.
He’s earned it. Now he just needs the result to match.
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