South Africa's Rabada cleared to play Australia in WTC
South Africa's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has been cleared to face Australia in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord's next month.
The 29-year-old had been under a provisional suspension since April 1 after testing positive for a recreational drug during a South African T20 match on January 21.
The South African Institute of Drug-free Sport announced on Monday the bowler had accepted responsibility for the offence and served a one-month period of ineligibility, making him free to resume playing.
Rabada may be back in action as soon as Tuesday, for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.
"He will take his lessons from this and we're just looking forward to having him back part of our group, having him back in practice. He's served his time," said Vikram Solanki, Titans' director of cricket.
Rabada also completed two sessions of a substance abuse treatment programme. "Moving forward, this moment will not define me," he said when the offence was confirmed last week.
The punishment is in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency's punishment for use of a recreational drug.
Rabada became the quickest player to reach 300 Test wickets in October last year and was South Africa's leading wicket-taker in the 2023-2025 WTC cycle claiming 47 dismissals at an average of 19.97.
He now has 327 Test wickets at an average of 22.
In ten Tests against Australia he has taken 49 wickets at 23 but struggled in the last series, in Australia in 2022/23, snaring 11 at 32 apiece.
A former Australia captain said Rabada had 'broken his contract' and Titans should not have used the phrase 'personal issues' to explain his absence.
Speaking to SEN Radio Tim Paine said: "It stinks. I don't like this use around 'personal issues', and it being used to hide stuff that isn't a personal issue. If you have a professional sportsman that's tested for recreational drugs during a tournament in which he is playing, that doesn't fall under personal issues for me. That falls under you have broken your contract.
"That is not a personal issue, that is something that is happening in your personal life. Taking drugs - recreational or performance enhancing - is not a personal issue that can just be hidden for a month."
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