IPL 2025: Why South African Pacer Kagiso Rabada Left India During The Season? ‘Personal Reasons’ Revealed!

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Gujarat Titans and South African pacer Kagiso Rabada flew back home ten days into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season due to 'personal reasons' as revealed by the franchise.

The world's premier fast bowler Rabada on Saturday (May 3), exactly a month after he left India, has made a shocking revelation that he left the ongoing season of the IPL because he is serving a provisional suspension for using a banned recreational drug.

The Protea quick had left the league last month after playing two games for Gujarat Titans, citing personal reasons. Rabada, who will turn 30 later this month, issued a statement through South African Cricketers' Association (SACA).

"As has been reported, I recently returned to South Africa from participating in the IPL for personal reasons. This was due to my returning an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug. I am serving a provisional suspension and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing," Rabada said in the statement.

While the statement didn't mention which recreational drug he used, it has been learnt through CSA sources that Rabada was tested during the SA20 League in January-February. He plays for MI Cape Town in that cricket league.

Rabada, who was bought by GT for Rs 10.75 crore at last year's IPL mega auction, thanked his country's cricket board and IPL outfit Gujarat Titans for standing by him in this hour of crisis.

"I couldn't have gone through this alone. I'd like to thank my agent, CSA, and Gujarat Titans for their support. I'd also like to thank SACA and my legal team for their guidance and counsel. Most importantly I'd like to thank my friends and family for their understanding and love," Rabada added.

Rabada, who has played 241 international games for the Proteas across formats including 70 Tests, believes that this one-off incident won't define him and he will continue playing with passion.

"Moving forward, this moment will not define me. I will keep doing what I have always done, continuously working hard and playing with passion and devotion to my craft," the South African quick said.

Aside from him missing the IPL for over a month, the development has also put Rabada's possible participation in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June under the cloud.