Latest news with #Rabada
Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘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).
The Age
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
‘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).
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
‘People will have their different opinions' — Rabada focused on WTC after drugs ban
'I'm going to keep playing for the country, keep doing my best and live with whatever comes my way,' Kagiso Rabada said in his first press conference since the substance abuse ban. Proteas pace ace Kagiso Rabada has faced the media for the first time since his one-month substance abuse ban in April. Rabada was initially handed a three-month ban by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) after a random drugs test on 21 January found 'substances of abuse' in his system. These are categorised as either cocaine, heroin, MDMA/ecstasy or THC by Saids. The fast-bowler, the fifth-highest Test wicket taker in South Africa's history, is gearing up for the World Test Championship (WTC) final from 11 June against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in England. Rabada was initially reluctant to answer any questions when probed about the circumstances that got him into the position of consuming one of the aforementioned drugs, instead pointing to the statement he put out after his ban came to light. 'The thing about that incident is… I've put it down in my statement,' he said. 'I didn't take 30 seconds to write it down. Everything is there. I don't think there's any more to speak of that. 'If I had to elaborate a bit more and move away from it and see how it influenced me, it led me to a bit of introspection about myself. I took some time away from the game. 'The biggest thing I took from it is having gratitude for playing the game that we love and I'm just glad to be playing again. 'I'd like to thank, again, Saca (South African Cricketers' Association), they were phenomenal in this, and Cricket South Africa. 'The process was handled really well. Andrew Breetzke (CEO at Saca) led it very well and the decision to come back early was brilliant. 'That's a decision that I made. I could have tried to contest it and whatnot, but coming home was the best option and I was in good hands. 'All the parties that were involved were compliant and the whole process was smooth and that's all that I'm going to take away from that. 'In my statement I was very sincere about how I feel about it.' Lessons Queried about the lessons he took from failing the drugs test and the scrutiny that followed, Rabada said he was grateful for those around him and their support. 'Like I said, it was about gratitude and as a player and as a man, people will have their different opinions about it and I can live with that,' he said. 'There will be people who will be for you and people who will be against you and I can live with that, that's fine, but I know that I can still play the game of cricket. 'Nothing changes. I'm going to keep playing for the country, keep doing my best and live with whatever comes my way. 'The world doesn't revolve around me. There are people out there who are going through a lot worse.' Rabada added that he would like to move past the ban and focus on the WTC final. 'Certainly, moving into this World Test Championship final, it is about that whole event. It's not just about me and this incident that has occurred, which is why I think it's a waste of time talking [any] further about it,' he said. 'Everything was handled very well, in an orderly manner, and we can move on from it.' Rabada said that while he had regretted his actions and the hurt he caused to those closest to him, he wouldn't apologise at every turn, but instead continue to live his life. 'I've had a lot of support from those who are close to me,' he said. 'I don't go around looking on Twitter (X) to see what everyone is saying. 'Definitely, as you would have seen in my statement, there are some people who I feel would have been disappointed and for those who were, that's why I said deeply sorry, as my statement said. 'The people who were closest to me, I felt, were the ones who I let down. In saying that, life moves on. 'I'm not going to 'Mr, I apologise' about it too much. I don't think I have to be, but I do not condone that action, I will never condone it, but I've moved on.' Support from the team Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad both came out to bat for Rabada recently. Bavuma said their friendship comes first and Conrad hit back at the Australian critics with a verse from the Bible: 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.' For Rabada, not only was that unsurprising, it is what he expected from his captain and coach. 'I didn't expect anything else because they're my teammates,' he said. 'I have trust in my teammates. I've always had confidence in my teammates. 'We've come so far. I knew they'd be supportive and they still are. This was not an ideal situation but they fill in as those members who are close to me and who are supporting me. 'I don't need too many pats on the back here. I'm going to be joining with them again. I've already spoken to them and we can do so in more detail when we get together with each other for an extended amount of time. 'I don't want this to be about me. This is about something greater than it being about me. It's about two teams going to play in a world [championship] event. 'There's going to be good cricket going to be played and I'm just going to keep doing what I've done.' Rabada did, however, say he will address the squad when they assemble on Saturday for the first time in preparation for the WTC final in Arundel. 'I think I owe it to them, 100%,' Rabada said. 'They're my teammates. I definitely owe it to them. We've come so far. To my closest people I owe that to them.' DM
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
‘Life moves on': Rabada looks ahead to World Test Championship final after drug ban
South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada said life moves on and he will never be 'Mr I-Apologise-Too-Much' after serving a one-month ban for testing positive for recreational drug use at this year's SA20 competition. The 30-year-old Rabada can resume playing for his country in June, after being named in South Africa's squad for the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's from June 11 to 15. Having already apologised for his actions in May, Rabada said he wanted to move on from the incident. 'I'm just glad to be playing again. The process was handled really well ... I think, as a player, and a man, people will have their different opinions. I can live with that,' Rabada told media on Saturday before leaving for London. 'There are some people who would have been disappointed and to those people I'm deeply sorry ... The people closest to me are the ones I felt I let down. 'But life moves on. I'll never be 'Mr-I-Apologise-Too-Much'. But I'll never condone that action.' Also read | Karun Nair hits double hundred for India A, records fourth 200-plus score of First-Class career Rabada said he has been speaking with teammates, adding that he plans to do more in the coming days to mend any rifts the incident may have caused. 'I think I owe it to them (to talk about what happened),' he said. 'They're my teammates. We've come from so far. 'I've already spoken to them and I guess we can do so in more detail when we get together for an extended amount of time.' Rabada is likely to lead the fast-bowling attack in the WTC final with seamers Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi and Dane Paterson also in the squad. Keshav Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy are the two specialist spin options.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
England's Overton out of West Indies series due to broken finger
England all-rounder Jamie Overton will miss the rest of the home series against West Indies after breaking his right little finger, on his bowling arm, during the first One-Day International at Edgbaston, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Saturday. The 31-year-old, who suffered the injury on Thursday when he tried to take a catch while bowling, left the field for treatment but returned to finish the game with his finger heavily wrapped. He took three wickets as England won by 238 runs. 'Life moves on' Rabada looks ahead to World Test Championship final after drug ban "He will now undergo a period of rehabilitation under the supervision of the England medical team. No replacement will be added to the ODI squad," the ECB said in a statement. Matthew Potts will replace Overton in the England team when they face West Indies in the second of their three ODIs on Sunday, with three Twenty20 matches also scheduled from Friday.
