Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s top wicket-taker in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) series, has been navigating a challenging period after a positive drugs test led to a month-long suspension. While Cricket South Africa (CSA) was initially concerned about his well-being, key figures including coach Shukri Conrad, Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma, and director of national teams Enoch Nkwe believe Rabada is ready to return to form for the upcoming WTC final.
“I’ve been engaging with KG ever since I learnt about it,” Conrad explained during a press conference in Johannesburg, as South Africa’s squad for the WTC final was unveiled. “The biggest thing for me was whether KG is all right and to close ranks around him and ensure that he’s in a good space. At the end of the day, we care for all our players. He served his sentence, and all that I’m interested in now is KG producing performances that we know he’s capable of.”
Rabada’s positive test was recorded on January 21, following a SA20 match between MI Cape Town and Durban’s Super Giants. The South African Institute of Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) identified it as a “substance of abuse,” one of four possibilities: cannabis, cocaine, heroin, or ecstasy. The exact substance will be disclosed on June 4 once the appeal period ends.
Bavuma, reflecting on the situation both as a captain and a friend, stated, “If there is an issue there, then he gets the support that he needs. If there’s not an issue, if it was him being reckless, then he deals with it.”
The incident’s timing, with a high-profile final against Australia in England imminent, has kept Rabada in the spotlight. Notably, Tim Paine, former Australian captain, critiqued the lack of early transparency over Rabada’s withdrawal from the IPL, initially attributed to “personal reasons.”
Nkwe clarified CSA’s stance: “We needed to respect SAIDS in driving the process and ensuring that everything was completed correctly. SAIDS embarked on that process and unless an individual feels that they want to come out straight away, it is a private matter.”
Conrad remained steadfast, focusing on Rabada’s future rather than criticisms. As attention shifts to the showdown in England, South Africa hopes Rabada’s return to form marks a new beginning, both for the player and the team’s aspirations on the international stage.
