South Africa's over-dependence on Dale Steyn – A misconception?

Dale Steyn – terrifying pace coupled with pinpoint accuracy

Some players are like the nitro-boost in racing games – their usage needs to be timed perfectly. On the other hand, there are players like Dale Steyn – players who would give their one hundred percent – day in, day out.

In the freezing cold of a London morning or the sweltering heat of a Jamaican afternoon, Dale Steyn will bowl. The sweat may drip down his body and his legs may tire, but Dale Steyn will give it his all – every single ball, every single spell, and every single match.

Statistically, Steyn has already booked himself a spot amongst the greats. 332 scalps in 65 Tests, at an incredible average of 22.65 runs per wicket, is downright stunning. Amongst bowlers who have taken more than 150 wickets, his strike rate of 41.1 is the best in the history of Test cricket.

The Steyn-gun does not get tired of showing off his obvious class in the shorter formats either. In 73 ODIs for the rainbow nation, Steyn has seen the back of the batsman 102 times, at a more-than-decent average of 29.07 and a miserly economy of 4.92.

Those are good numbers – numbers any bowler would be proud of. But to appreciate the sheer magic and the raw effectiveness of Dale Steyn, a glance at his performances in South African victories should do the trick.

In Tests where South Africa has ended up on the winning side, Steyn averages a jaw-dropping 16.02, at a surreal strike rate of 30.7. He averages 23.94 at 31.2 in ODI victories – again, significantly better than his results in losses.

Surprisingly, South Africa have fared better without Dale Steyn in ODIs

He has made himself close to indispensable due to his deadly habit of ripping apart high quality top-orders with effortless ease. Of his 234 Test wickets in South African victories, 155 of them are of batsmen slated above number seven – a staggering 66.24%.

Steyn possesses what most others don’t – a unique amalgamation of raw pace coupled with immaculate line and length. When supported by an appropriate field setting, this combination ensures that runs become mythical whispers. He brings in the fear factor – the sickening moment of the geography of Craig Cumming’s face being permanently altered by a Steyn bouncer surely lingers in the minds of most batsmen.

Oppositions spend hours chalking out strategies on how to play him, and entire training sessions are dedicated to facing bowling machines operating in the “Steyn” mode.