Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s tearaway pacer, has revealed that he is currently serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for recreational drug use. This development comes after his brief stint with Gujarat Titans in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) last month, where he played two matches before returning home. That time, Gujarat Titans had said that Rabada had flown back home to deal with a “personal matter”.
“As has been reported, I recently returned to South Africa from participating in the IPL for personal reasons. This was due to my returning an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug,” Rabada said in a statement.
“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.
“I am serving a provisional suspension and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing.”
“I couldn’t have gone through this alone. I’d like to thank my agent, CSA, and Gujarat Titans for their support. I’d also like to thank SACA and my legal team for their guidance and counsel. Most importantly, I’d like to thank my friends and family for their understanding and love,” Rabada said.
“Moving forward, this moment will not define me, I will keep doing what I have always done, continuously working hard and playing with passion and devotion to my craft.”
Before heading home, Rabada had played two games on debut with the Titans. He played in the side’s opening game against PBKS, where he claimed one wicket for 41 runs. He also played in the second game against Mumbai Indians, conceding 42 runs for 1 wicket.