South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, a member of the Gujarat Titans team, had gone back home recently due to personal reasons, and it was not known when he would return to India to play the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The Proteas pacer finally revealed the reason for his absence from the tournament, stating that he was undergoing “provisional suspension” after testing positive for a “recreational drug.”
Public Apology from Rabada
Rabada made an announcement last evening, pleading apologies to cricket supporters whom he had disappointed. He also told fans that he will never presume upon the blessing of playing cricket for the rest of his life.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Kagiso Rabada is once again in India for the rest of the IPL 2025 season. According to the report, the pacer consumed the drug during the SA20, where he represented Mumbai Indians Cape Town. He was guilty of consuming a recreational drug and not a performance-enhancing drug.
“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 an official statement.
Kagiso Rabada Reflects on Setback
“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,” he added.
Kagiso Rabada also thanked Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Gujarat Titans for their support, saying he “couldn’t have gone through it alone.”
Gratitude to Support System
“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 SAGA 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,” said Kagiso Rabada.
“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,” he added
IPL 2025 Performance of Kagiso Rabada So Far
Kagiso Rabada had played two games for Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 and returned with two wickets. Gill had recently stated that the franchise is looking forward to witnessing the Proteas pacer return in 10-12 days in order to participate in the rest of the T20 tournament.
Rabada had been signed by Gujarat Titans for INR 10.75 in the mega auction in Saudi Arabia during November 2024.
