‘Rabada set for comeback, all procedures have been followed to the letter’

Mumbai: Gujarat Titans’ Kagiso Rabada is set to make a comeback in the IPL after serving a one-month suspension with all procedures regarding the South Africa pacer’s recreational drug use being “followed to the letter”, said the franchise’s director of cricket Vikram Solanki on Monday.

Rabada was handed a one-month suspension for recreational drug use while playing for the MI Cape Town in the SA20 tournament in January this year. He was informed about failing the drug test on April 1, and two days later, GT announced that Rabada had returned home for “personal reasons”.

The South African Institute for Drug Free Sports (SAIDS) on Monday said Rabada had completed a “substance abuse treatment program”, making him available for participation in the IPL. “With Kagiso, as far as tomorrow’s match is concerned, the fact is he is now available, given all of the decisions that have been taken and whatever has transpired over the past month or so,” Solanki told the media during GT’s training session here at the Wankhede Stadium. “Kagiso has expressed regret at an error in judgement. He’s made a telling statement.”

“He has expressed regret, as I said, but is very much looking forward to getting back to playing the game he loves. He will take his sort of lessons from this and we’re just looking forward to having him back at practice,” Solanki said.

Solanki asserted that all procedures were followed by the concerned parties in this case as the 29-year-old Rabada trained with Gujarat Titans ahead of their clash against Mumbai Indians. “As far as procedure and protocol is concerned, everybody that’s been involved in this episode, right from Kagiso, his representatives, all matters as far as requirements have been followed to the letter,”

he said.