Image: Kagiso Rabada admitted to drug use during SA20, IPL absence now under scrutiny / © The Sydney Morning Herald
As the IPL 2025 season progresses, Kagiso Rabada’s unexpected absence from the Gujarat Titans’ lineup against the Mumbai Indians has sparked controversy. Initially cited as “personal issues”, Rabada later admitted he was serving a ban after testing positive for a recreational drug during the SA20 league in January. Former Australia captain Tim Paine publicly criticized this concealment, stating that drug use isn’t a personal matter but a breach of professional conduct and contract.
Speaking on SEN Radio, Paine emphasized that hiding such incidents under vague reasons damages transparency and trust. He added that moving Rabada back to South Africa quietly and reintegrating him post-ban without public accountability “stinks”.
According to WADA rules, recreational drug use typically results in a 3-month suspension, which can be reduced to one month if rehabilitation is completed and the usage was outside competition. Rabada is expected to rejoin GT later in the tournament. Earlier, GT’s coach Ashish Kapoor had falsely attributed Rabada’s exit to family problems.