Kagiso Rabada says his experiences over a turbulent stretch of his career have helped him grow “nonchalant” toward criticism. After missing a large chunk of last year’s IPL due to a one-month ban for cocaine-related issues, the South Africa speedster has since returned strongly, including featuring in the Proteas’ World Test Championship triumph in June 2025. Now, as he lights up the IPL with regular high-velocity spells, Rabada is also talking about how modern workloads across formats are forcing players to manage rest, fitness, and scheduling more intelligently.
Key takeaways
- Rabada missed most of last year’s IPL while serving a one-month ban for cocaine abuse.
- He returned in June 2025 and was part of South Africa’s World Test Championship-winning side.
- The 30-year-old is nearing 600 international wickets across formats and is currently featuring in the IPL with 21 wickets.
- An injury ruled him out of South Africa’s away Test series against India in December of last year, with a rib-bone problem cited.
- With the calendar overloaded, he believes rest and recovery phases are essential to stay injury-free.
- Rabada has opted to skip franchise competitions like Major League Cricket and The Hundred this year to prepare for international cricket.
Learning to shrug off criticism
Speaking in an interview, Rabada reflected on what he took from a year that swung between major lows and major highs. The fast bowler said he learned not to put too much weight on other people’s views, stressing that opinions can become distorted and amplified beyond what is actually important.
He added that the things that truly matter are the perspectives that come from the people closest to him and how he feels about himself. In his view, it is unrealistic to make everyone happy, and trying to please every voice only distracts from staying grounded.
Injury, milestones and South Africa’s turnaround
Rabada, who is 30 years old, is closing in on the 600-wicket mark at international level across formats. He also missed South Africa’s away Test engagements against India in December last year because of a rib bone injury.
Meanwhile, South Africa made history last November by beating India in India to secure a 2-0 series result in their own backyard. Rabada’s comments came as his career momentum continued to build on the back of that broader team success and his own return to form after the earlier setback.
Thunderbolts in the IPL and the burden of a packed calendar
During the IPL, Rabada has been producing sharp, high-speed bowling, regularly touching 150 km/h. He is also among the leading wicket-takers in the competition, with 21 scalps so far.
International cricket has increasingly become a balancing act for players who take part in multiple formats. Rabada, however, remains one of the few top international figures who has managed to feature across different versions of the game. With cricket continuing to expand through leagues and tournaments worldwide, he suggested it is becoming harder to be available for every format at once.
Managing workload, fitness and format choices
In discussing his current fitness and approach, Rabada said his body has been feeling “pretty decent,” while emphasizing the importance of staying on top of things and preventing issues from piling up into bigger problems later. He linked that mindset to not taking progress for granted and staying consistent with preparation.
He also clarified that there has not been a dramatic shift in his fitness routine. Instead, he explained that as players get older, they need to work harder on the smaller details that keep the body functioning well and reduce the chance of injury.
On whether he is picking and choosing his path forward to play all formats, Rabada said the expression “picking and choosing” may not be the right way to describe it. He preferred to frame it as being “wise around what I’m playing and when,” implying that smart timing matters as much as effort.
Skipping franchise leagues to stay ready for Tests and the 2027 ODI World Cup
With a demanding international stretch ahead—including a busy home Test season featuring Australia and England and the ODI World Cup later in 2027—Rabada decided not to take part in franchise leagues such as Major League Cricket and The Hundred this year. He described it as a year-long planning exercise, saying those league opportunities would have to be sacrificed so he can be prepared properly for international cricket.
Rabada added that the decision is about structuring the year to meet the demands of international commitments, rather than chasing every available option in a crowded schedule.
