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Pat Cummins discloses whether Australia will sledge Kagiso Rabada for drug ban in WTC Final: ‘I’d be surprised if…’
Ahead of the mega finale, Pat Cummins was asked whether his team would take a shot at Kagiso Rabada for his drug ban.
Australia captain Pat Cummins revealed whether his team will sledge Kagiso Rabada for his latest drug ban controversy in the upcoming World Test Championship final against South Africa. The Australian team is renowned for its aggressive brand of cricket, often employing fiery sledging on the field to disrupt concentration and demoralise opponents. Rabada was banned for testing positive for a recreational drug during a domestic Twenty20 competition in South Africa in January.
The Proteas pacer left the IPL 2025 midway to serve his ban, while later it was revealed that he was caught using cocaine in January.
The South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) states on its website that Rabada had tested positive for "benzoylecgonine, metabolite of cocaine".
He was picked by South Africa for the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's. London.
Ahead of the mega finale, Cummins was asked whether his team would take a shot at Rabada for his drug ban.
To which Cummins replied, “It’s not really our style. I’d be surprised if that came up.”
Rabada, with 327 wickets, is three away from tying Allan Donald for fourth place on South Africa's all-time list. Rabada will have the company of left-armer Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi in the pace attack.
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It will be Cummins's second time leading the Australian team in the World Test Championship final. With 13 wins in 19 tests, Australia reached the final by beating India in January. They lost only twice away from home.
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‘Maybe captaincy isn’t for me’: Cummins
Cummins already led them to the title win in the last edition, which they won over India in the final. The right-arm pacer took the reins of the Australian Test team from Tim Paine in November 2021, quickly guiding them back to dominance.
Cummins shed light on his reaction when he became the captain of the side and revealed he had doubts over his own leadership credentials.
“There was a lot of trepidation. One, because I was uncertain how I was going to go as a captain. I didn’t really have any experience. But also trepidation because it’s a big role and things can turn against you overnight. Part of me thought: ‘Maybe captaincy isn’t for me.’ But there’re enough great parts of the job I really enjoy,” said Cummins.
