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Cape Town - Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada says the recent exploits of Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer will force him to lift his game.
India paceman Bumrah and England quick Archer have set the world alight in recent weeks.
Bumrah was outstanding in the Test series victory over the West Indies in the Caribbean, taking 13 wickets in two games at a staggering average of 9.23.
Archer, meanwhile, has impressed in the longest format in the ongoing Ashes series against Australia following on from starring in England's World Cup victory.
The 24-year-old Rabada made his international debut five years ago and is still among the premier fast bowlers in world cricket.
However, he has been overshadowed in recent months by the likes of Bumrah, Archer and Australia's Pat Cummins.
Rabada said, according to IOL Sport: "I admire those bowlers, they are good bowlers.
"However, the media hypes certain players, and that's OK; I know I have been playing very well.
"Archer is such a natural talent; Bumrah is doing wonders and that can force you to lift your game.
"You are not always at the top, that's one thing I can tell you."
The Proteas are currently preparing for a tour to India to play three T20Is and three Tests and Rabada hopes they learn from the last time they played there in 2015.
South Africa won the T20 and ODI series last time in India four years ago but got mauled in the Test matches.
"The previous tour we were successful because we
won the T20 and ODI series but the Test series was a bit of a shambles
because those wickets were just terrible," Rabada continued.
"If I could give an example the first Test match it was 200 v 200 in first innings.
"If we batted first it was going to be a different ball game because we ended up having to chase the game. We lost 3-0 and we were truly hammered."
Test match squad:
Faf du Plessis (Titans, capt), Temba Bavuma (Highveld Lions, vice-capt), Theunis de Bruyn (Titans), Quinton de Kock (Titans), Dean Elgar (Titans), Zubayr Hamza (Cape Cobras), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Titans), Senuran Muthusamy (Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions), Rudi Second (Warriors)
T20I squad:
Quinton de Kock (Titans, capt), Rassie van der Dussen (Highveld Lions, vice-capt), Temba Bavuma (Highveld Lions), Junior Dala (Titans), Bjorn Fortuin (Highveld Lions), Beuran Hendricks (Highveld Lions), Reeza Hendricks (Highveld Lions), David Miller (Dolphins), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Andile Phehlukwayo (Dolphins), Dwaine Pretorius (Highveld Lions), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Titans), Jon-Jon Smuts (Warriors)
- TeamTalk
