South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada says he is serving a provisional suspension for failing a drugs test.
The 29-year-old returned home from the Indian Premier League where he was playing for Gujarat Titans at the start of last month to “deal with an important personal matter”.
He has now confirmed it was because he “returned an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug”.
Neither Rabada nor Cricket South Africa (CSA), which confirmed the findings of the test, has disclosed the drug or the length of his provisional ban.
Rabada is due to play in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, when South Africa will face Australia from 11-15 June.
“I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down,” said Rabada, who has played 241 times for South Africa across all formats, in a statement released by the South African Cricketers’ Association.
“I will never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted. This privilege is much larger than me. It goes beyond my personal aspirations.
“I am serving a provisional suspension and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing.”
