Recreational drug use leads SA20 to ban Rabada as the transgression took place during the SA20 earlier this year.
Kagiso Rabada’s departure from IPL 2025 on April 3 was related to a sanction for testing positive for a recreational drug.
When Rabada represented MI Cape Town in the SA20, he committed a breach by using a recreational drug rather than a performance-enhancing substance.
Rabada’s side, Gujarat Titans, stated that he had to return home to address a “significant personal matter” when he left for South Africa after the IPL, but they did not specify whether or when he would return to India.
Rabada claimed to be under “provisional suspension” in a statement released by the South African Cricketers’ Association.
“As has been reported, I recently returned to South Africa from participating in the IPL for personal reasons,” Rabada said in his statement. “This was due to my returning an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug.
“I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down. I will never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted. This privilege is much larger than me. It goes beyond my personal aspirations.
“I am serving a provisional suspension and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing.
“I couldn’t have gone through this alone. I’d like to thank my agent, CSA, and Gujarat Titans for their support. I’d also like to thank SACA and my legal team for their guidance and counsel. Most importantly I’d like to thank my friends and family for their understanding and love.
“Moving forward, this moment will not define me. I will keep doing what I have always done, continuously working hard and playing with passion and devotion to my craft.”