One of the star players of the Gujarat Titans, Kagiso Rabada, now finds himself in quite hot water as the revelation emerged that he is actually being suspended for having one positive test for recreational drugs during the SA20 tournament earlier this year. Unexpectedly, Rabada walked out of IPL 2025 last month for South Africa, and consequently, he was not available for nearly a month.
Vikram Solanki, the GT Director of Cricket, supported Rabada saying the cricketer regrets what happened and has learnt from that incident. Solanki mentioned that Rabada is keen on moving on from this and concentrating on his time with the team. “Kagiso has accepted his mistake and made a meaningful statement about it. I think it shows a lot about who he is. He is eager to get back on the field and we are very excited to have him back in practice. He has done his time,” Solanki said.
He has also stated that the procedures for such matters have been followed with due diligence and integrity. “To be clear, everyone involved in this situation, including Kagiso and his representatives, has followed the protocols. We understand there is emotion surrounding this, but now that he has served his 30-day suspension, we want him back to doing what he loves and being part of the team,” he added.
Solanki admitted that situations such as these might pose a distraction but affirmed that the franchise stands with their player. “It’s easy to lose focus, for sure. Kagiso has made it clear that he doesn’t want this to distract anyone. The team fully supports him, whether it’s about his game performance or personal issues. We’re here to back him up.”
