Dale Steyn

The greatest fast bowler of the modern era, known for late swing at high pace.

Dale Willem Steyn (born 27 June 1983) is a South African former professional cricketer who played for the South African cricket team. He is widely regarded as the greatest fast bowler of the modern era and one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time.

Quick Facts

Role: Fast Bowler
Affiliation: Mumbai Indians (2013–2019)
Status: Retired from International Cricket

Lore & Background

Steyn dominated the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings at the peak of his career, for a record 263 weeks between 2008 and 2014. He was the leading wicket-taker for Warwickshire in the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy. He was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2013, and the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2013 in 2014's Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. He was featured in Wisden Cricketers of the Decade at the end of 2019 and included in the ICC Test Team of the Decade at the end of 2020.

Reader's Guide

Steyn made his first-class debut for Northerns on 17 October 2003. He played for Essex in 2005 and for Warwickshire in the first half of the 2007 English season. In the Indian Premier League, he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Lions. He also played for Cape Town Blitz, Melbourne Stars, Islamabad United, Kandy Tuskers, and Quetta Gladiators.

Did You Know?

Steyn achieved a tally of 78 wickets at an average of 16.24 during the 2007–08 season and received the ICC 2008 Test Cricketer of the Year Award.
He spent 2,356 days at the top of the ICC Test rankings as of 6 October 2016.
In December 2018, Steyn became the leading wicket taker for South Africa in Test cricket, surpassing Shaun Pollock.
Steyn announced his retirement from Test cricket on 5 August 2019 and from all forms of cricket on 31 August 2021.