Kagiso Rabada tests positive for banned substance

With just over a month to go before the Proteas’ World Test Championship final against Australia, the team’s bowling spearhead Kagiso Rabada has reportedly tested positive for a banned substance.

Rabada returned home from India a month ago in the middle of his campaign with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. At the time a statement said he was returning to South Africa to attend to an important personal matter.

But reports over the last 12 hours suggest that the speedster has returned to India and could be in the Gujarat Titans squad for Sunday’s match against the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium.

Rapport, however, reports that Rabada had returned to the country after testing positive for what is believed to be a recreational drug and not performance enhancing drugs.

Rabada is one of the best bowlers in the world and a key member of the Proteas’ attack. It will be a massive blow if he is banned before the WTC final at Lord’s after carrying the team’s bowling unit over the last year.

Rabada’s superstar qualities make him a must against a star-studded Australian batting line-up.

The Proteas ended the Test season with a massive injury crisis in the pace stakes, with Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee and Nandre Burger spending time on the sidelines. Nortje has since made a return in the IPL.

Rabada and veteran seamer Dane Paterson played a key role in the Test matches against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan which helped Shukri Conrad’s men qualify for the final.

@JohnGoliath82