A famous athlete Dale Steyn whose cricket career reached its climax was born on 27 June 1983 in Phalaborwa in the South African province of Transvaal. Steyn was the world number 1 Test-Bowler in the world, used to catch fish and came to cricket as his art, he took wickets in cricket all around the world.
Dale Steyn Career
We will talk about Dale Steyn’s career as a South African cricket team player. He was an important player for both the South African cricket team and the Indian Premier League team Royal Challengers Bangalore during his tenure. During his tenure the south African team reached great heights and was one of the most powerful team in international cricket.
Steyn dominated the ICC Test rankings at the height of his career, recording 263 wickets between 2008 and 2014. He broke the record of Muttiah Muralitharan, who had remained world No 1 for 263 Test matches. Moreover, Steyn has held the world record for the longest-lasting ICC bowler in the Test rankings for 263 weeks, a record that is by far the longest winning run by any bowler in history.
Earlier Career days and debut in international Cricket
His own share of struggles grew and he made his first-class debut for Northerners in 2003. His strong performances in first-class cricket led to him being called up for a Test series against England in 2004. However, his lukewarm performance in his debut game led to his expulsion from the team in January 2005.
He was part of the South African team that at home first beat England and Australia in readmission and proved he can do it on the subcontinent.
In the early stages of his cricketing career he only featured in Test matches and made his first ODI debut when he was called into the Africa XI squad for the series against Asia XI.
It was a complex farewell for him with the departure of veteran bowlers such as Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock and he had to initiate and lead the South African team’s bowling attack.
Some interesting facts about Dale Steyn
- In October 2012, former South African test cricketer Allan Donald described the South African pace attack that included Steyn, along with Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel as “the best South Africa ever produced”. There aren’t many bowlers in world cricket who have clocked 150 speed. But, Dale Steyn is among them.
- He and Morne Morkel became the most feared fast bowlers in the nation.
- He became one of the few foreign fast bowlers to take 10 wickets in a Test match in India.
- He travelled to Pakistan and blew the team away from the subcontinent in a home series against the Kiwis, causing them all sorts of problems.
- Worried of not getting a chance, he bowled with more precision and set his impressive mark with 16 goals from three Test matches.
- Dale Steyn has a high hit rate of 41 per cent among bowlers who have taken more than 200 wickets.
- His unmistakably swinging deliveries (he switches 150k / s) are a comforting sight for him and serve his fans in abundance.
- Steyn’s pace and swing is his biggest weapon and has helped him score over 400 Test match goals at an average age of 23.
His contribution for his team
Steyn helped South Africa avoid an embarrassing defeat in the first test of the double-match series in Dhaka against Bangladesh. Bangladesh were bowled out for 192 in the first innings and Steyn claimed 3-27 as South Africa collapsed to 170 to give Bangladesh a shocking 22-run lead.
Steyn was fit again in time for the series against Sri Lanka and played a big role in South Africa’s first series victory in Sri Lanka in 20 years, a stroke of luck for him and South Africa in an away Test Series victory.
South Africa secured a 5-0 victory on Day Four of the first Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh at Dhaka to limit Bangladesh to 182. Steyn debuted alongside AB de Villiers in the first Test of England’s tour of South Africa on December 17, 2004.
Steyn Retirement
Dale Steyn retired from test cricket on 2019. However, now he has retired from all forms of cricket(On 31-08-2021) at the age of 38. Such a long and impressive career he had. And this is a very shocking news for the cricket world. We know that his void can never be filled by any South African bowler. But, still we wish South Africa gets guidance under his leadership.
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