• ‘We need to develop more poster boys’

    Interim director of cricket Graeme Smith admits fast bowler Kagiso Rabada is overburdened by cricket – and commercial – responsibilities.

    Rabada won’t be named in the XI for this week’s fourth and final Test against England at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. He has been suspended by the International Cricket Council for an arguably overzealous celebration of England captain Joe Root’s dismissal during last week’s third Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth.

    Why Rabada and others are not in ODI squad

    ‘Sometimes you do get hot-headed, we have all been there, on the field, when your emotions are running high, you’re in the moment, it’s a battle between you and the top batter, and vice versa, and that’s got to come now. He is experienced enough to know how to channel that and that’s what we’ve got to get out of him,’ said Smith.

    ‘It can’t happen anymore. He is disappointed. We cannot have our gun bowler missing games for these type of things anymore.

    ‘He is a poster boy and we need to develop more poster boys. Too much has been put on his shoulders as well. He is on every advertisement, playing every game, he is carrying the can. If he doesn’t perform well, we are in trouble.’

    Rabada has not been included in the squad for next month’s three-ODI series against England.

    ‘I think it’s a good thing he is being rested in this series, we need to see some other people step up and start filling that void and taking some pressure off him. Maybe that will help as well,’ added Smith.

    Photo: Gallo Images

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    SA CRICKET