Kagiso Rabada’s ban for a doping violation has been reduced from three months to one, following an incident during the SA20 earlier this year.
The South African fast bowler tested positive for a recreational drug after a match between MI Cape Town and Durban Super Giants on January 21. The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) confirmed the result, and Rabada was notified of the ban on April 1 while in India for the 2025 IPL season.
His IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans, later revealed that Rabada had returned to South Africa for personal reasons after playing only two matches in the season.
The reduced ban aligns with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations for the use of recreational drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine. This follows a similar sanction imposed on New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell last year for testing positive for cocaine.
Rabada has since completed an education and awareness programme to prevent future substance abuse, and he is now eligible to return to action immediately. He could feature for Gujarat Titans in their next match against Mumbai Indians.
Update : KG’s ban has been commuted down to 1 month instead of 3 and since he tested positive on January 21, and was out since early April, he’s back and available to play again. https://t.co/nIWDquWEtl
— Cash N Sport (@CashNSport) May 5, 2025
Rabada’s ban has proven to be very costly. The fast bowler faces a significant loss of R23 million before tax. Additionally, Cricket South Africa (CSA) will lose about R4.6 million, as they receive a 20% share of each player’s deal.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has expressed no intention to impose further punishment, calling the incident “regrettable” but acknowledging Rabada’s commitment to professional standards. Rabada has apologized for his actions, expressing regret for letting down his supporters and vowing to never take his cricketing career for granted.
The fast bowler is expected to be available for South Africa’s World Test Championship final against Australia next month, where he will be a key figure in their bowling attack.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
