‘They come at you': Rabada dares Aussies to sledge him at Lord's after drugs ban
Sledge me at your own peril. That's the blunt message from South African firebrand fast bowler Kagiso Rabada to Pat Cummins' men ahead of a World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Just weeks after news emerged that Rabada had failed a drugs test and left the Indian Premier League, the leader of South Africa's attack has lit the fuse for a showdown for world cricket's top prize.
'They [Australian players] come at you, and that gets the best out of me,' Rabada said in an interview with SABC Sport. 'They have been notorious for that over the years, right? So yeah, let's see.
'I think we deserve to be there and I'm excited to see what Australia can bring to us.'
It's not the first time Rabada has thrown down the gauntlet to Australia – or found himself in hot water for doing so. The paceman's frosty relationship with Australia stretches back seven years, when he was cited for a mid-pitch shoulder barge on Steve Smith during the explosive 2018 'Sandpapergate' series.
Rabada won his appeal against a two-match suspension, to the frustration of the Australian camp in a series brimming with tension.
The 30-year-old, who has taken 49 Test wickets against Australia at an average of 23.08, admitted last month to testing positive to cocaine.
After flying home from the Indian Premier League for 'personal reasons', Rabada served a one-month suspension, allowing him to line-up against Australia at Lord's for the WTC final, starting next Wednesday in London (June 11).
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