Keshav Maharaj has been a consistent performer for South Africa across formats
Keshav Maharaj has been one of South Africa's leading spin bowlers in recent years. Born on February 7, 1990, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Maharaj is known for his left-arm orthodox spin, which has brought him significant success in both domestic and international cricket.
Maharaj's cricketing journey began at a young age, inspired by a rich cricketing environment in South Africa. He made his first-class debut in the 2006/07 season, gradually establishing himself as a key player in the domestic circuit. His consistent performances at the domestic level earned him a call-up to the national team.
Internationally, Maharaj made his Test debut for South Africa in November 2015. Since then, he has become a vital part of the South African bowling lineup, known for his ability to control the game's pace and his skill in taking crucial wickets
Keshav Maharaj Test Stats
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures (Innings) | 5/10Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | 158 | 31.99 | 3.16 | 9/129 | 9/1 | 1129 | 5/0 |
Keshav Maharaj Test Stats By Opposition
| Team | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures (Innings) | 5/10Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 9 | 22 | 45.18 | 3.36 | 5/123 | 1/0 | 227 | 1/0 |
| Bangladesh | 4 | 24 | 14.50 | 2.63 | 7/32 | 2/0 | 127 | 1/0 |
| England | 10 | 31 | 35.22 | 3.16 | 5/180 | 1/0 | 256 | 1/0 |
| India | 7 | 8 | 94.75 | 3.88 | 3/189 | 0/0 | 243 | 1/0 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 19 | 22.10 | 2.58 | 6/40 | 2/0 | 55 | 0/0 |
| Pakistan | 3 | 10 | 35.40 | 2.69 | 3/90 | 0/0 | 7 | 0/0 |
| Sri Lanka | 8 | 27 | 31.00 | 3.45 | 9/129 | 1/1 | 180 | 1/0 |
| West Indies | 3 | 12 | 16.08 | 2.59 | 5/36 | 1/0 | 29 | 0/0 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 5 | 11.80 | 3.37 | 5/59 | 1/0 | 5 | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj Test Stats By Country
| Country | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures (Innings) | 5/10Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Australia | 5 | 5 | 84.40 | 3.14 | 3/56 | 0/0 | 144 | 1/0 |
| In England | 7 | 21 | 29.95 | 3.18 | 4/85 | 0/0 | 162 | 0/0 |
| In India | 2 | 6 | 85.66 | 4.04 | 3/189 | 0/0 | 103 | 1/0 |
| In New Zealand | 4 | 19 | 22.10 | 2.58 | 6/40 | 2/0 | 55 | 0/0 |
| In Pakistan | 2 | 10 | 31.00 | 2.64 | 3/90 | 0/0 | 3 | 0/0 |
| In South Africa | 25 | 72 | 31.36 | 3.27 | 7/32 | 5/0 | 630 | 3/0 |
| In Sri Lanka | 2 | 16 | 24.37 | 3.30 | 9/129 | 1/1 | 14 | 0/0 |
| In West Indies | 2 | 9 | 12.44 | 2.21 | 5/36 | 1/0 | 18 | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj ODI Stats
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures | 4/5Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 55 | 30.65 | 4.56 | 4/33 | 2/0 | 238 | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj ODI Stats By Opposition
| Team | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures | 4/5Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 1 | 2 | 12.50 | 2.50 | 2/25 | 0/0 | - | 0/0 |
| Australia | 9 | 12 | 27.91 | 4.02 | 4/33 | 1/0 | 8 | 0/0 |
| Bangladesh | 4 | 4 | 45.25 | 4.89 | 2/56 | 0/0 | 51 | 0/0 |
| England | 7 | 8 | 30.75 | 5.83 | 3/25 | 0/0 | 2 | 0/0 |
| India | 9 | 8 | 42.25 | 4.38 | 2/51 | 0/0 | 36 | 0/0 |
| Ireland | 3 | 3 | 46.33 | 4.79 | 2/51 | 0/0 | 17 | 0/0 |
| Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 44.00 | 4.40 | 1/38 | 0/0 | 58 | 0/0 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 4 | 11.50 | 5.11 | 4/46 | 1/0 | - | 0/0 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 3 | 33.66 | 5.31 | 3/45 | 0/0 | 26 | 0/0 |
| Sri Lanka | 6 | 10 | 23.10 | 4.35 | 3/38 | 0/0 | 60 | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj ODI Stats By Country
| Country | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures | 4/5Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In England | 5 | 6 | 28.00 | 5.22 | 3/25 | 0/0 | 1 | 0/0 |
| In India | 12 | 16 | 27.37 | 4.21 | 4/46 | 1/0 | 64 | 0/0 |
| In Ireland | 3 | 3 | 46.33 | 4.79 | 2/51 | 0/0 | 17 | 0/0 |
| In South Africa | 19 | 22 | 35.09 | 4.79 | 4/33 | 1/0 | 116 | 0/0 |
| In Sri Lanka | 5 | 8 | 21.12 | 3.93 | 3/38 | 0/0 | 40 | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj T20I Stats
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures | 4/5Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 24 | 27.95 | 7.38 | 2/21 | 0/0 | 79 | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj T20I By Opposition
| Team | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures | 4/5Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2 | 1 | 63.00 | 9.00 | 1/23 | 0/0 | 9 | 0/0 |
| Bangladesh | 2 | 1 | 47.00 | 5.87 | 1/24 | 0/0 | - | 0/0 |
| England | 4 | 3 | 37.33 | 7.63 | 2/21 | 0/0 | 4 | 0/0 |
| India | 10 | 10 | 25.60 | 8.53 | 2/23 | 0/0 | 53 | 0/0 |
| Ireland | 2 | 2 | 27.50 | 6.87 | 2/29 | 0/0 | - | 0/0 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 2 | 13.50 | 6.75 | 2/27 | 0/0 | 13 | 0/0 |
| Sri Lanka | 4 | 3 | 25.66 | 5.43 | 1/10 | 0/0 | - | 0/0 |
| West Indies | 1 | 2 | 12.00 | 6.00 | 2/24 | 0/0 | - | 0/0 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | - | 10.00 | - | - | - | 0/0 |
Keshav Maharaj T20I Stats By Country
| Country | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures | 4/5Ws | Runs Scored | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Australia | 4 | 3 | 29.66 | 7.41 | 2/27 | 0/0 | 13 | 0/0 |
| In England | 5 | 5 | 28.80 | 7.32 | 2/21 | 0/0 | 4 | 0/0 |
| In India | 8 | 8 | 25.25 | 8.78 | 2/23 | 0/0 | 52 | 0/0 |
| In South Africa | 2 | 2 | 33.00 | 9.42 | 2/26 | 0/0 | 10 | 0/0 |
| In Sri Lanka | 3 | 3 | 14.33 | 4.22 | 1/10 | 0/0 | - | 0/0 |
| In U.A.E. | 5 | 3 | 42.33 | 6.68 | 2/24 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Keshav Maharaj
Q.1. When did Keshav Maharaj make his Test debut for South Africa?
Answer: Keshav Maharaj made his Test debut for South Africa on November 3, 2016, against Australia in Perth. In this match, he picked three wickets.
Q.2. What are some of Keshav Maharaj's notable achievements in Test cricket?
Answer: Some of Maharaj's notable achievements in Test cricket include taking his maiden five-wicket haul in March 2017 against New Zealand and recording his best Test bowling figures of 9 for 129 against Sri Lanka in July 2018. These figures are also the best by a South African bowler in Asia and the best by a South African since the country's readmission to international cricket.
Q.3. When did Keshav Maharaj make his debuts in the ODI and T20 formats for South Africa?
Answer: Keshav Maharaj made his ODI debut against England on May 27, 2017, and his T20I debut against Sri Lanka on September 10, 2021, where he also served as the team's captain.
Q.4. What makes Keshav Maharaj's bowling style unique?
Answer: Keshav Maharaj is renowned for his left-arm orthodox spin bowling, characterized by accurate line and length, and subtle variations. His ability to generate turn and bounce along with great use of drift makes him a formidable bowler, especially in conditions favourable to spin.
Q.5 Does Keshav Maharaj have a hat trick in Test cricket?
Answer: Yes, Keshav Maharaj has a Test hat-trick which he bagged against West Indies on June 21, 2021. This was only the second Test hat-trick by a South African and the first since Geoff Griffin achieved the feat in 1960.
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