Keshav Maharaj, South Africa’s premier left-arm spinner, has etched his name into the history books. In the ongoing Test series against Zimbabwe, Maharaj picked up his 200th Test wicket.
With this wicket, he became the first-ever South African spinner to achieve this rare milestone. He got to the landmark in his 59th Test match after dismissing Craig Ervine in Zimbabwe's first innings in the first Test.
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It’s a huge moment for a country where spinners have rarely dominated the Test format. Maharaj now leads the list of South Africa’s most successful spinners in red-ball cricket.
Who are the top 5 South African spinners in Test history?
South Africa has produced some handy spinners over the years, but no one has reached the kind of numbers Maharaj has now posted. Here’s a look at the top five:
| Player | Mat | Inns | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KA Maharaj | 59* | 99 | 202 | 9/129 | 29.62 | 3.11 | 57.03 |
| HJ Tayfield | 37 | 61 | 170 | 9/113 | 25.91 | 1.94 | 79.81 |
| PR Adams | 45 | 76 | 134 | 7/128 | 32.87 | 2.98 | 66.04 |
| PL Harris | 37 | 63 | 103 | 6/127 | 37.87 | 2.65 | 85.52 |
| N Boje | 43 | 72 | 100 | 5/62 | 42.65 | 2.96 | 86.20 |
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Maharaj made his debut in 2016 against Australia after grinding for years in first-class cricket. He has over 600 first-class wickets.
2017 was a standout year for him, where he claimed 48 wickets in 11 Tests, his best in a calendar year. Even at home, where fast bowlers usually dominate, Maharaj has 86 wickets.
Maharaj is now ninth on the list of all-time leading wicket-takers for South Africa, among seamers and spinners combined.