Rabada cleared to play again after serving doping suspension

South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been cleared to return to professional cricket after serving a one-month suspension for testing positive for a recreational drug. The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) announced on Monday that Rabada is now eligible to play, having completed a substance abuse treatment program, which reduced his initial three-month ban to one month . The 29-year-old tested positive during the SA20 competition in January 2025 and was informed of the result on April 1, leading to a provisional suspension. Initially, his withdrawal from the Indian Premier League (IPL) was attributed to "personal reasons," but Rabada later admitted to the violation and expressed deep regret for his actions . Rabada is now available to play for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, with the team's Director of Cricket, Vikram Solanki, confirming his readiness for the upcoming match against the Mumbai Indians. Solanki emphasized that Rabada has learned from the incident and is eager to rejoin the squad . Despite the controversy, Rabada has acknowledged his mistake and thanked his support network, including Cricket South Africa, his agent, the Gujarat Titans, the South African Cricketers' Association, and his legal advisers, for their guidance during this period .