'Have bigger goal than record' – Dale Steyn

However, the 35-year-old fast bowler, who has been out of the game for much of the last couple of years with injuries, insisted he wasn't still playing simply for the records.

“I have a lot more wickets in me than just one more,” Steyn said on Monday, 24 December, ahead of the Test at his home ground at Centurion. “I haven’t saved myself just to take one more wicket than Polly (Pollock). There is a bigger goal at the end of the day.

"I do think it will be a beautiful thing to happen, if it happens. It has taken a long time and these records are great things to achieve. I will be highly honoured, but I will get back to my mark and try to take the next one."

Steyn had equalled the record in his 88th Test, away in Sri Lanka. But, having just returned from injury in difficult conditions for the quicks, the series wasn't ideal for him. He was more a force in the limited-overs series against Zimbabwe and away in Australia, and he is now eager to get going in more familiar environs.

“It’s just nice to have a red ball in my hand again,” he said. “Sri Lanka was tough conditions for the fast bowlers, but by the looks of things, the way the nets have been playing out in the middle [at Centurion], there is some spice. I am looking forward to getting out there and playing five competitive days of cricket.”

In the absence of the injured Vernon Philander and Lungi Ngidi, the senior bowler knows the responsibility will be more on him. “The onus will be on your bigger players like KG [Kagiso Rabada] and myself to lead the attack,” he said.

“Duanne [Olivier] has been bowling beautifully, he was the highest wicket-taker in the Mzansi Super League. In the four-day game he played the other days he got a few wickets and even got Faf [du Plessis] out. If he slips under the radar and he comes up trumps with wickets and wins us the game I will not be complaining.”