Proteas' superstar says truest form of the game is Test cricket, as he joins full-strength squad against the Netherlands
Kagiso Rabada of South Africa during the T20 international match between South Africa and West Indies at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, March 28 2023. Picture: SYDNEY SESHIBEDI/GALLO IMAGES
Had his IPL team, the Punjab Kings, had its way he would have been in Mohali on Saturday where they begin their 2023 IPL campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders. Rabada has been one of the stars at the tournament since signing his first contract there in 2017 with the then Delhi Daredevils . In 63 matches he has taken 99 wickets and his strike rate of 14.4 is the best among bowlers, who’ve taken 60 or more wickets.
Cricket SA’s entirely justifiable demand that the likes of Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram and David Miller — among others — be available for the two ODIs against the Dutch led to some tough negotiations between Cricket SA and the franchises. Miller said last week his team — the Gujarat Titans — were “really upset” that he was missing their opening match, also the first match of this year’s tournament, on Friday.