Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada have achieved career-best positions in the ICC rankings after their stand-out performances in the first Test against Australia. 

Rabada, whose seven wickets in the match jumped him to No 20 on the bowlers’ list, now has 36 wickets in nine matches and has achieved a better start than Dale Steyn, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Richard Hadlee at the same stage of their career.

The 21-year-old’s five-for in the second innings was vital to the 177-run victory over the Aussies and he is rightly becoming the go-to man for the Proteas.

KG is now the fourth South Africa fast bowler to feature in the top 20 after Steyn, who is ranked second but ruled out of the series due to a shoulder injury, Vernon Philander, who has moved up one place into the top 10 after his five-wicket exploits in Perth, and Morné Morkel (13th).

De Kock’s impressive performance, which saw him score two half-centuries against the Baggy Greens at the Waca, triggered an 11-place jump to 20th, behind his compatriots Hashim Amla (sixth) and AB de Villiers (seventh). His 87 in the first innings and 64 in Perth was vital to SA’s dominance over the Aussies.

Dean Elgar and JP Duminy, who both scored tons in the second innings against Australia, were rewarded with rises to No 24 and No 38 respectively.

The Proteas will hope they can continue their good form in the second Test at Hobart on Saturday as they hunt down a third-consecutive series win in Australia.

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