70 Facts About Dale Steyn

Dale Willem Steyn is a South African former professional cricketer who played for the South African Cricket Team.

Dale Steyn is often regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and the greatest Test bowler of his generation.

Dale Steyn was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2013, and Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2013 in 2014's Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.

Dale Steyn was featured in Wisden Cricketers of the Decade at the end of 2019.

Dale Steyn was included in the ICC Test Team of the Decade at the end of 2020.

Dale Steyn dominated the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings during the peak of his career, for a record 263 weeks between 2008 and 2014.

In terms of days, Dale Steyn has spent 2,356 days at the top as of 6 October 2016.

In October 2012, former South African test cricketer Allan Donald called the South African pace attack, which Dale Steyn was part of, alongside Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, the best South Africa has ever produced.

In December 2018, during the first Test against Pakistan, Dale Steyn became the leading wicket taker for South Africa in Test cricket, previously held by all-rounder and former-captain Shaun Pollock.

On 5 August 2019, Dale Steyn announced his retirement from Test cricket, to focus on limited-overs cricket.

Dale Steyn announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on 31 August 2021.

Dale Steyn was born in 1983 in the small town of Phalaborwa, on the border of the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Dale Steyn made his first-class debut for Northerns on 17 October 2003.

Dale Steyn went back to playing for the Titans after failing to impress in his first three Tests.

Dale Steyn went to England in 2005 to play for Essex, appearing in seven matches between May and June.

Dale Steyn failed to make a big impact in his initial outing in County Championship cricket, taking 14 wickets at 59.85.

Dale Steyn seized the opportunity to cement his place in the South Africa Test team, and as a result of becoming a regular selection for the national team, he has subsequently played little domestic cricket in South Africa from then onwards, appearing for the Titans in just three SuperSport Series matches.

Dale Steyn had a second stint in England, playing for Warwickshire in the first half of the 2007 English season.

Dale Steyn played well in the Friends Provident Trophy, a 50-over tournament, finishing as the leading wicket-taker for Warwickshire.

Dale Steyn has since become a regular in the South African One Day International team.

Dale Steyn signed to play in the Indian Premier League in 2008, playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Dale Steyn earned US$325,000 for his appearance in the tournament.

Dale Steyn spent his first three seasons in the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Dale Steyn went unsold at the 2018 and 2019 IPL auctions.

In mid-April 2019, Dale Steyn joined Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2019 IPL season as a replacement for the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Dale Steyn played three matches in the tournament, picking one wicket at an average of 133 and economy rate of 11.40.

Dale Steyn was released from the team after the season.

In October 2019, Dale Steyn signed to play in the Big Bash for the Melbourne Stars.

In November 2020, Dale Steyn joined Kandy Tuskers for the 2020 Lanka Premier League.

Dale Steyn made his debut for South Africa on 17 December 2004 in the first Test of England's tour.

Dale Steyn did not bowl particularly well and after another below par performance against Sri Lanka he dropped out of consideration for the South African ODI team.

Dale Steyn responded to his opportunity with his first five-wicket haul in the first Test at Centurion, ripping through the New Zealand batting lineup along with Makhaya Ntini as New Zealand crumbled to 120 all out, chasing 248 to win.

Dale Steyn finished the three Test series with 16 wickets at 26.00 and made a fine impression throughout.

Dale Steyn was included in the Test team to play Sri Lanka away in a two match series in July and August 2006.

Dale Steyn finished the series with eight wickets at an average of 36.50.

Dale Steyn kept his Test place for the three match home series against India.

Dale Steyn picked up an injury whilst bowling early in India's first innings in the first Test at Johannesburg which prevented him from taking much further part in the game and ruled him out of the second Test.

Dale Steyn returned to play in the deciding third Test at Cape Town and bowled well, taking six wickets for 88 runs in the match as South Africa clinched the match and the series.

Dale Steyn finished the series with six wickets at an average of 19.00.

Dale Steyn returned in the third Test, at Cape Town, when the selectors decided to rest Andre Nel and Shaun Pollock in preparation for the imminent 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Dale Steyn was recalled to the South African ODI squad in June 2007 and played in three matches between June and August, against Ireland, India and Zimbabwe.

Dale Steyn had mixed success in these three matches, taking wickets but proving expensive.

Dale Steyn made his Twenty20 International debut on 23 November 2007 in the one-off game against New Zealand, taking the wicket of Scott Styris and only giving up 17 runs from his four overs.

Dale Steyn featured in the third One Day International at Cape Town, where he had partial success, taking the wickets of the New Zealand openers, Brendon McCullum and Lou Vincent, but going for 50 runs from nine overs.

Dale Steyn played in the first three matches of the One Day International series, but could not match his Test success and was briefly dropped after failing to take a wicket and going for 62 runs in his ten overs during the third match at Port Elizabeth Dale Steyn was recalled for the fifth match at Johannesburg but struggled again, taking one wicket but going for 78 runs from ten overs.

However Dale Steyn then combined with Jacques Kallis to restrict Bangladesh to 182 all out and South Africa were able to complete a five wicket victory on the fourth day of the match.

When Dale Steyn dismissed Junaid Siddique in Bangladesh's first innings, he claimed the record for the fastest South African to reach 100 wickets in Tests, beating Hugh Tayfield's record of 21 matches.

Dale Steyn holds the record amongst all players who are currently playing Test cricket.

Dale Steyn featured in the final One Day International of the three match series, going wicketless but only giving away 19 runs in 8 overs.

Dale Steyn finished the innings, and the match which petered out into a tame draw, with four wickets for 103 runs.

Dale Steyn was the pick of the bowlers taking five wickets for 23 runs, dismissing Sehwag and Rahul Dravid then mopping up the last three batsmen for the cost of 11 runs.

The final Test at Kanpur saw Dale Steyn pick up three first innings wickets which took him to 15 wickets in the series at an average of 20.20.

Dale Steyn was named man of the match for this performance.

Dale Steyn made a rearguard effort in attempting to prevent an Australian victory in the 3rd Test in Sydney frustrating the hosts with 28 runs in 65 balls in a 50 run partnership from 105 balls with Makhaya Ntini in order to try to secure the draw.

Dale Steyn got career best ODI figures of 5 wickets for 50 runs against India in Nagpur during the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Dale Steyn played a vital role in the derailment of a strong Indian batting line-up.

Dale Steyn was named in the 'Team of the Tournament' for the 2011 World Cup by the ICC and Cricinfo.

On 2 January 2013, Dale Steyn bowled Doug Bracewell out in first session of the first test of the New Zealand tour to South Africa to take his 300 Test wickets in 61 matches.

Dale Steyn reached the landmark in 8 years and 16 days to become the second fastest South African bowler in terms of time taken after Shaun Pollock.

Dale Steyn played a cameo as himself in the 2014 romantic comedy Blended starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

Dale Steyn took 16,634 balls to take his 400 test wickets and became the fastest bowler to complete the feat in terms of balls bowled.

Dale Steyn took the 400th wicket when Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was caught at slip by Hashim Amla on the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh on 30 July 2015.

However, on day two of the same Test, Dale Steyn damaged his left heel.

In December 2018, in the first session of the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Dale Steyn became South Africa's leading wicket-taker in Tests, taking his 422nd wicket, surpassing Shaun Pollock who had held the record for ten years.

However, on 4 June 2019, Dale Steyn was ruled out of the tournament due to an ongoing shoulder injury, and was replaced by Beuran Hendricks.

On 31 August 2021, Dale Steyn announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

In December 2021, Dale Steyn was appointed as the fast bowling coach of Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2022 IPL season.

Dale Steyn is capable of generating considerable swing and is usually chosen to bowl with the new ball to maximize these attributes.

Dale Steyn is an extremely competitive cricketer and often celebrates vigorously after taking a wicket.

Dale Steyn has stated that he "love the buzz from bowling fast" and that he "want to be the quickest in the world".