Kagiso Rabada admitting that he failed a drug test was one of the most shocking revelations in the sport in recent times and this was after he had left IPL 2025 midway, days after the tournament got underway. The Gujarat Titans' pacer's last match in IPL 2025 was against the Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 29 before he returned home to South Africa, citing 'personal reasons'. And it was only a month later that the reason for his absence from IPL 2025 was known. On May 3, Kagiso Rabada revealed that he was serving a provisional suspension from the game for testing positive for a recreational drug. Kagiso Rabada Cleared to Play Again After Serving Doping Suspension, Star Pacer Available for GT vs MI IPL 2025 Match.

However, fresh details regarding the case have emerged and a report by South African publication Rapport has claimed that Kagiso Rabada's urine sample had traces of benzoylecgonine, which is a metabolite of cocaine. The 29-year-old South African pacer was tested after the MI Cape Town vs Durban's Super Giants match in SA20 2025 on January 21 and the result made this revelation. The report also added that it was Kagiso Rabada's legal team who then proved that the drug he used was not during the SA20 competition, as the amount that his urine sample had was less than 1,000 nanograms per millilitre. Tim Paine Unimpressed With Kagiso Rabada’s Positive Test of Recreational Drugs Hidden From Public View.

The fact that Kagiso Rabada also did not opt for a second test 'saved him time and legal fees', said Khalid Grant, the CEO of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS). "He was smart to go down that route," he stated. Kagiso Rabada however, had expressed guilt and said that he was 'deeply sorry' for this. He also said that he would not let this define him while seeking a return to the sport. He rejoined the Gujarat Titans' camp but has not been in action since. The BCCI subsequently suspended IPL 2025 for a week in the light of the conflict between India and Pakistan.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2025 11:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).