I wanted to repay them — Rabada hails Gujarat Titans' support after banned substance saga

Kagiso Rabada ’s burning desire “to repay” the Gujarat Titans was the fuel that fired him to the top of the recent Indian Premier League bowling charts.

Rabada was on a hot streak this past IPL season, claiming 29 wickets at an average of 21.58, which propelled the Titans all the way to the final. This was in stark contrast to last season, when Rabada was forced to leave cricket’s most prestigious T20 competition in unceremonious circumstances due to “personal reasons”.

It was later revealed that the fast bowler had tested positive for a banned substance. During this period of uncertainty in Rabada’s career, the Titans' management stood firmly behind their premier fast bowler and never once made him feel that he was alone in the whole saga.

Rabada, 31, felt this was a great show of loyalty on behalf of the Ahmedabad-based franchise and was therefore desperate to deliver special performances upon his return.

“Looking at last year, you know, the way that this team dealt with, you know, what I went through and the people close to me dealt with what I went through, you know, even, you know, my sponsors and the team, you know, my teammates and whatnot,” Rabada told Independent Media on an exclusive Red Bull media junket.

“The way Gujarat handled it, I thought they handled it with a lot of care. And even last year, I was feeling really good for them. And the way that they did things, I felt like I wanted to repay them.”

Rabada’s perseverance was certainly put to the test in an elongated IPL season, where he suffered both physical and mental strain, but he believed he needed to push through as his team needed him to perform to the best of his ability.

“The IPL is tough. It's really tough. It's just so long, and being in India sometimes makes it a little difficult,” he said.

“But again, what a fascinating tournament! The highest broadcasting deal in the world — that's what you're a part of. So, there's tons of pressure.

“And it's not that all those lights get too overwhelming. No, it's just you playing in the biggest franchise league in the world.

“You want to do well and do well for your team, too. There's a huge amount of pressure. And, you know, travelling is difficult, and just two months of being there, it's gruelling.

“It's worth it. You know, that's why we play,” Rabada concluded.