Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada won't play for South Africa in the fourth and final Test against England at the Wanderers in Johannesburg this month.
Rabada has been suspended after an overzealous celebration of the wicket of England captain Joe Root on day one of the third Test at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth. Rabada received one demerit point for the infringement. Dafabet have South Africa offered at 1.91 and the English 1.87 to win the ongoing third Test.
He has accumulated four demerit points in a 24-month period. The accumulation has resulted in this one-Test ban.
ICC on Rabada
“Rabada has been fined 15 percent of his match fee and has also received one demerit point after being found guilty of a level one breach of the ICC code of conduct for players and player support personnel during the first day of the third Test match against England in Port Elizabeth on Thursday,' read a statement from the International Cricket Council.”
“The South African bowler was found to have violated article 2.5 of the code, which relates to ‘using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his or her dismissal during an international match'.”
“The charge relates to Rabada's actions following the dismissal of Root. After the day's play, Rabada admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.”
Rabada was sanctioned for similar infringements in 2018. Australians Steven Smith and David Warner were the subjects of his ire then.
Smith, Warner and Rabada will play in the Indian Premier League later this year. Smith and Warner will represent the Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, respectively. Rabada has been retained by the Delhi Capitals. Rabada was injured toward the end of the 2019 IPL.
“We did try and get Rabada not to go to the IPL; to try and stay and get fresh. That wasn't the case of course and then when he went there, we were like, let's try and get him back halfway through the IPL because it's important, not just for him, but a few other players,” said Proteas captain and Chennai Super Kings batsman Faf du Plessis at the time.
