Kagiso Rabada, who had returned home after just two appearances for Gujarat Titans, with his exit initially attributed to “personal reasons”, is now available to play after serving a one-month suspension for the usage of a recreational drug.
He failed a dope test during the SA20 earlier this year and subsequently served a one-month suspension, reduced from the standard three-month penalty.
According to the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), Rabada’s sample was collected on January 21 following the SA20 clash between MI Cape Town and Durban Super Giants. The test result, which revealed the presence of a prohibited recreational substance, was only communicated to the player on April 1, while he was with the Gujarat Titans squad in India. Two days later, Rabada left the IPL and returned to South Africa.
He had played the first two games for the franchise, taking two wickets. He returned home before the third game, against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
No disiplinary action on Kagiso Rabada by CSA
Rabada has not been subjected to any additional disciplinary action by Cricket South Africa (CSA), which referred to the matter as “regrettable” in a public statement but expressed satisfaction with the pacer’s conduct and response.
According to CSA, Rabada showed “commitment to upholding professional standards” and issued an apology through the South African Cricketers’ Association, stating: “I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down. I will never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted. This privilege is much larger than me. It goes beyond my personal aspirations.”
The one-month ban Rabada served falls within the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for cases involving recreational drug use, such as cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, or diamorphine. Last year, New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell received a similar punishment after testing positive for cocaine. However, sanctions can vary, as seen in the case of Zimbabwe’s Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, who were banned for four months and fined part of their salaries by Zimbabwe Cricket.
Rabada has completed an education and awareness programme, a mandatory step before his return to professional cricket. He is now eligible to play again and may even feature for the Gujarat Titans in their next fixture against the Mumbai Indians on Wednesday. He is also in line to play the WTC final against Australia in June.
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