Centurion: Kagiso Rabada’s feet remained firmly on the ground as he reflected on taking 13 wickets in his first victory as a South African Test cricketer, modestly claiming that he was carried by his teammates and that the key for him now will be success over 15 years, not just one match.

The 20-year-old, whose 13 for 144 saw him record the second-best match figures by a South African bowler after Makhaya Ntini’s 13 for 132 against West Indies in 2005, finished up as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 22 victims, and all in the final three Tests.

“I focus on doing the basics right, if it gets me wickets it gets me wickets,” said Rabada after just his sixth Test. “I can only control the controllables. I don’t look at stats, I just do what I do and whatever happens happens. The key is to do it for 15 years, not one game.

“It’s amazing to win as it’s been a while. We have been losing but we always stuck together. It’s about being positive in every game and everyone played magnificently well - it was a team effort. I’m happy we won and I contributed.”

Asked by one local reporter what it felt like to carry the attack, Rabada replied: “Morne Morkel, Kyle Abbott, everyone in the team played well. I’m still a youngster, I wasn’t carrying anything, the guys were carrying me. But the ball is coming out nicely, I felt in good rhythm as a the match went on.”

With six months until their next Test series at home to New Zealand in August, there is talk of Rabada continuing his education in English county cricket this summer.

And while his captain, AB de Villiers, jokingly interjected to say “No” when asked whether a deal was possible, Rabada replied: “Whatever influences my cricket in a positive manner, I haven’t made a decision on that.”

For De Villiers, speaking after his first win in his second Test as captain, the emergence of Rabada and batsman Temba Bavuma, who became the first black African to score a Test century with his unbeaten 102 in Cape Town and averaged 49 in the series, represents the most significant positive to be drawn from the 2-1 series defeat.

He said: “Kagiso showed the maturity of a guy with 100 Test matches and the pace of one who’s played just one or two. It’s difficult to find the compliments but he’s impressed us all. He has to be managed and it’s up to us to manage him well so he’s always fresh on the field. He is the future, guys like that always excite captains I’m happy for what he achieved.

“Temba looked like he belonged in Test cricket, but it was a matter of time for him to break through. We know South Africa’s history with the racial issues in the past, so to see two guys step up is what it’s all about. For me to be captain for that, to see the two perform, is one of the highlights of my career.”

De Villiers, who became just the fourth captain in history to record a pair in a victory, appears committed to Test cricket despite looking to cut his international workload.

A decision who leads the Proteas long-term is not expected to be made by Cricket South Africa until July.

While they have now dropped from first to third in the world rankings, with India going top, De Villiers believes South Africa’s first victory in eight Tests could be a turning point.

He added: “I’m very excited about our future and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed captaining - the win helps for the confidence - I’m excited about what’s coming. The win is a step in the right direction, there’s something brewing. We have experience mixed with good youth and lots of talent.”

England captain Alastair Cook was disappointed at the way his side folded on Tuesday, but added his praise for Rabada.

He said Rabada’s maturity at the age of 20 was highly impressive.

“The control he has and the ability to swing the ball at pace, and to be able to work out where to bowl at each batsman. He’s bowled really well in these last three games. To get 13 wickets in a Test match at that age, the sky’s the limit for him. He’s got all the attributes that are needed.”

Cook cautioned that he would not enjoy such success every time he played.

“He’s still very raw. You aren’t going to get days like this every week and there are going to be days like Cape Town where Ben Stokes was hitting him at will.

“He’ll know that but for a 20-year-old with the talent he’s got, he’s going to be a serious bowler.”

South Africa confirmed seamers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander will miss the upcoming one-day series. Steyn, missing from the final three Tests, has been diagnosed with a bone-stress reaction to his right shoulder while caution will be exercised in Philander’s return from ankle ligament damage.

— With inputs from AFP.

South Africa 1st innings: 475

England 1st innings: 342

South Africa 2nd innings: 248-5 dec

England 2nd innings:
(overnight 52-3)

A. Cook c and b Morkel 5

A. Hales lbw b Rabada 1

N. Compton c De Kock b Rabada 6

J. Root c Elgar b Piedt 20

J. Taylor c De Kock b Morkel 24

B. Stokes c Cook b Morkel 10

J. Bairstow c De Kock b Rabada 14

M. Ali not out 10

C. Woakes c De Kock b Rabada 5

S. Broad c De Villiers b Rabada 2

J. Anderson lbw b Rabada 0

Extras (lb2, nb1, w1) 4

Total (34.4 overs) 101

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Hales), 2-8 (Cook), 3-18 (Compton), 4-58 (Taylor), 5-58 (Root), 6-83 (Bairstow), 7-83 (Stokes), 8-91 (Woakes), 9-101 (Broad)

Bowling: Morkel 12-5-36-3, Rabada 10.4-2-32-6 (1nb, 1w), Abbott 2-0-10-0, Piedt 7-2-11-1, Elgar 2-1-8-0, Duminy 1-0-2-0

Result: South Africa won by 280 runs

Toss: South Africa

Series: England won the four-match series 2-1

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Chris Gaffaney (NZL)

TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

BEST MATCH FIGURES BY A SOUTH AFRICAN BOWLER IN TESTS:

Makhaya Ntini - 13/132 v West Indies, Trinidad 2005

Kagiso Rabada - 13/144 v England, Centurion 2016

Hugh Tayfield - 13/165 v Australia, Melbourne 1952

Hugh Tayfield - 13/192 v England, Johannesburg 1957

Sibley Snooke - 12/127 v England, Johannesburg 1906

Allan Donald - 12/139 v India, Port Elizabeth 1992

Bert Vogler - 12/181 v England, Johannesburg 1910

Dale Steyn - 11/60 v Pakistan, Johannesburg 2013

WICKETS AFTER SIX TEST MATCHES:

Vernon Philander - 45

Allan Donald - 32

Dale Steyn - 24

Kagiso Rabada - 24

Shaun Pollock - 21

Makhaya Ntini - 18

Morne Morkel - 17