⚔️HEAD-TO-HEAD
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Kagiso Rabada: Who Is Better? IPL 2026 Stats Comparison
Kagiso Rabada has the edge on the headline numbers: Kagiso Rabada averages 70 IPL fantasy pts/match vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 50. Full T20I, ODI, Test and IPL stats are below.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) averages 50 fantasy pts per match. Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans) averages 70 fantasy pts. Full IPL stats & fantasy cricket comparison: batting, bowling, fielding, and form.
Full season · batting · bowling · fielding · MOTM · form
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Kagiso Rabada · Stat Comparison Table
Head-to-head numbers at a glance. Higher value is highlighted in green (lower is better for economy and bowling/batting averages).
| Statistic | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Kagiso Rabada |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 20 | 19 |
| Avg fantasy points | 50 | 70 |
| Best fantasy score | 169 | 179 |
| Runs | 40 | 49 |
| Strike rate | 133.3 | 90.7 |
| Fours | 4 | 5 |
| Sixes | 1 | 2 |
| Highest score | 15 | 23 |
| Wickets | 29 | 39 |
| Economy rate | 8.62 | 6.39 |
| Best spell (wkts) | 4 | 6 |
| Catches | 2 | 7 |
| Total dismissals | 3 | 7 |
| Statistic | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Kagiso Rabada |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 87 | 79 |
| Runs | 67 | 184 |
| Batting average | 8.38 | 14.15 |
| Strike rate | 71.3 | 115.7 |
| Wickets | 90 | 83 |
| Bowling average | 23.10 | 28.30 |
| Five-wicket hauls | 1 | 0 |
📋 Format by format
T20I. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 87 T20Is and Kagiso Rabada 79. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 67 runs at 8.4 (strike rate 71.3), against 184 at 14.2 (115.7) for Kagiso Rabada, so Kagiso Rabada has scored more. With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 90 wickets and Kagiso Rabada 83; Bhuvneshwar Kumar has more wickets.
ODI. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 121 ODIs and Kagiso Rabada 106. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 552 runs at 14.2 (strike rate 73.9), against 401 at 14.8 (79.1) for Kagiso Rabada, so Bhuvneshwar Kumar has scored more. With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 141 wickets at an economy of 5.10 and Kagiso Rabada 168; Kagiso Rabada has more wickets.
Test. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 21 Tests and Kagiso Rabada 74. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 552 runs at 22.1 (strike rate 45.1), against 1,102 at 12.2 (51.7) for Kagiso Rabada, so Kagiso Rabada has scored more. With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 63 wickets at an economy of 2.95 and Kagiso Rabada 346 at 3.35; Kagiso Rabada has more wickets while Bhuvneshwar Kumar is more economical.
International numbers up to 4 March 2026.
What is happening now
South Africa's lead fast bowler, 300 Test wickets and counting
21 Oct 2024: Took his 300th Test wicket on the first day of the Test against Bangladesh, the 39th bowler to reach the milestone.
Full Rabada profile →Did you know: Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- He took a wicket with his first ball in ODI cricket, against Pakistan in December 2012.
- He is the only bowler whose first wicket in all three formats was bowled.
- He won the IPL Purple Cap in 2016 and 2017, the first bowler to win it in consecutive seasons.
- He was the leading wicket-taker at the 2022 Asia Cup with 11.
Did you know: Kagiso Rabada
- Born 25 May 1995. A right-arm fast bowler who made his South Africa debut in 2014.
- Took his first five-wicket haul at Lord's in August 2022, earning a place on the honours board.
- Only the fourth South African bowler since readmission to achieve that.
- Plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
🧠Quick quiz: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada
4 questions, answers explained. No sign-up needed.
- 1. What happened with Bhuvneshwar's first ball in ODI cricket?
- 2. In which two seasons did Bhuvneshwar win the IPL Purple Cap?
- 3. At which ground did Rabada take his first five-wicket haul in England?
- 4. In which year did Rabada make his South Africa debut?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Kagiso Rabada is one of the most searched cricket comparisons, combining international career stats with IPL fantasy data. Both players bring different strengths to your XI, and the right choice can be the difference between topping the leaderboard or missing out.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a specialist bowler for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, priced at 9 Cr this season. Over 20 matches in IPL 2026, he has scored a total of 1007 fantasy points, averaging 50 pts per game with a best of 169 pts. With the bat he has accumulated 40 IPL runs at a strike rate of 133.3, and has claimed 29 IPL wickets with an economy of 8.62. He has won Man of the Match 1 time this season.
International career: Bhuvneshwar Kumar has scored 552 ODI runs in 121 matches at an average of 14.15, with 1 half-century internationally. He has also taken 141 ODI wickets at an average of 34.94 with an economy of 5.10. He has taken 90 T20I wickets internationally.
Kagiso Rabada is a specialist bowler for Gujarat Titans, priced at 9 Cr. Across 19 matches in IPL 2026, he has earned 1337 fantasy points, averaging 70 pts per game with a best of 179 pts. He has scored 49 IPL runs at a strike rate of 90.7, picking up 39 IPL wickets at an economy of 6.39. He has won 2 MOTM awards this season.
International career: Kagiso Rabada has scored 401 ODI runs in 106 matches at an average of 14.85 internationally. He has also taken 168 ODI wickets at an average of 27.45. He has taken 83 T20I wickets internationally.
Batting edge: Kagiso Rabada leads with the bat this season, making them the better pick if the pitch is expected to be batting-friendly or if the match is being played on a flat track.
Bowling edge: Kagiso Rabada has been the more impactful bowler in IPL 2026, and becomes especially valuable in conditions that offer pace or spin movement.
Fantasy Impact: From a pure fantasy perspective, Kagiso Rabada is the stronger pick right now with an average of 70 pts per game and a best score of 179 pts. The value-for-money metric (points per credit) further reinforces this. Always check this number before finalising your captain or vice-captain choice.
Captaincy Recommendation: Based on IPL 2026 season form, Kagiso Rabada is the safer captaincy option. However, if the opposition's bowling or batting lineup suits the other player, consider rotating your captain pick. Always check the playing XI, pitch report, and toss result before locking in your captain.
Stats are updated after every IPL 2026 match. Compare more players using our Player Comparison Tool or check the Fantasy Leaderboard to see how top managers are building their teams.
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Who has more T20I runs, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada?
Who has taken more T20I wickets, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada?
Who has more ODI runs, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada?
Who has the better ODI strike rate?
Who has taken more ODI wickets, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada?
Who has more Test runs, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada?
Who has taken more Test wickets, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada?
SETTLE IT IN A GAME
Numbers only get you so far. Pick a side, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Kagiso Rabada, and see who actually delivers.
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