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Rabada's one-month ban was lifted last week, clearing him to play in next month's World Test Championship final.
Temba Bavuma (left) and Kagiso Rabada during a Test match for the Proteas. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma hopes fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will emerge stronger from his recent suspension, as the national team prepare to face Australia in the World Test Championship final in London next month.
It was revealed this week that Rabada had ingested cocaine out of competition, which had resulted in his one-month ban that ended last week.
Bavuma admitted the speedster might take some flak from notoriously critical media in both the UK and Australia, as well as from Australia’s players, but he believed Rabada had the experience to overcome these challenges and perform at his best in the battle for the global Test crown.
“I think the biggest concern is from a personal point of view,” Bavuma said.
“If there is an issue there we will give him the support he needs, and if it was him being reckless then he’ll deal with the sledging and the media from the UK and Australia, and just make sure he comes out the better from the situation.”
Meanwhile, the skipper felt South Africa’s recent performances in limited overs World Cups would give them the experience they needed to get over the line against a fancied Australian team.
Though it was widely believed that Australia had been given a more difficult path to the final, playing more matches against stronger opposition, Bavuma agreed with coach Shukri Conrad that the Proteas had a good chance of lifting the trophy for the first time.
While they reached the semifinals of the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and the Champions Trophy earlier this year, as well as the final of the T20 World Cup last year, the SA team were still in search of their first trophy since winning the Champions Trophy back in 1998.
“With our experiences of being in knockout games, we want to learn from that and understand where it is we’ve maybe faltered,” Bavuma said after the 15-man national squad was announced this week.
“I think the beauty of it is that we’re getting ourselves into these positions, which I think shows that we’re playing good cricket.”
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