Former Proteas fast bowler Allan Donald believes Dale Steyn is the best speedster South Africa has ever produced.
Steyn, who is currently in Sri Lanka preparing for next week’s first Test, needs two more wickets to surpass Shaun Pollock as SA's leading wicket taker in Test match cricket.
With 419 wickets in 86 Tests, Donald, who is fourth on the all-time list with 309 wickets, tells SkySports: “I’m just in admiration of his consistency and that’s how you judge champion fast bowlers.
“You look at his strike-rate, his passion for the game, his hunger to be a champion bowler and to lead from the front.
NOT TOO SHABBY: Allan Donald. Photo: HENK KRUGER/INLSA
“That’s what sets him apart from.
“He is unequivocally the best fast bowler South Africa has ever produced. I just hope he stays fit.”
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis, meanwhile, will rely heavily on Steyn in the two Tests series.
Along with Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander, the Proteas have one of the most feared pace attacks in the world.
And Du Plessis is aware of this, saying: “No matter what the conditions are, a big strength of our team will always be our fast bowlers, especially the personnel we have: Steyn, Kagiso and Vernon are all wicket-taking bowlers.
“Those three have proven they can do it in any conditions.
“Dale has got a fantastic record in the subcontinent and KG is gold.
“He will be able to do anything, and we’ve got Keshav [Maharaj].
“If we want to and there’s an opportunity to, because the conditions are really bad, then we can look at a second spinner.”
NOT TOO SHABBY: Allan Donald. Photo: HENK KRUGER/INLSA
With AB de Villiers having retired from Test cricket, Du Plessis adds that it will be a massive test for Temba Bavuma to cement his position as the Proteas’ No.4 batsman.
Du Plessis adds: “AB [de Villiers] has only played the last one or two series for this Test team, so he has actually not been playing for a while.
“It will be a nice opportunity for Temba [Bavuma] or somebody else to put his peg in the ground and make the position his own again.”