The Australia captain, Pat Cummins, has confirmed that Australia will not use Kagiso Rabada’s drug ban to sledge him during the World Test Championship Finals.
Rabada was forced to serve a one-month ban and had to leave the IPL, where he was representing Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans after two matches and head back home to South Africa.
He failed a drug test during his time in the SA20 and served his punishment back home before returning to India to play the IPL.
He will be leading the Proteas bowling attack in the WTC Finals against Australia at Lord’s.
It was later reported that Rabada was tested positive for using cocaine and there is speculation in South Africa that Australia might use it against the pacer during the match at Lord’s.
But Cummins squashed the murmurs saying that it wasn’t their style and would be suprised if that came up during the game.
“It’s not really our style,” Pat Cummins says. “I’d be surprised if that came up.” He also spoke about leading the side during the second WTC Finals.
He also reflected on doubts about his captaincy and highlighted the smooth team transition with emerging young players.
“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.
Australia has been super power under Pat Cummins but the pacer has admitted that his all-conquering side is slowly coming to end of an era. He also spoke presence of young emerging talent like Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and others.
“Yes. No doubt. We’ve got quite a few players who are past their mid-30s and there seems to be a natural attrition rate into the late30s. If you’d asked me a year or two ago I would have said: ‘It’s going to be a huge change.”
“There’s a little bit to be worried about.’ But we’ve seen Josh Inglis, Sam Konstas, [Nathan] McSweeney debut throughout [Australia’s] summer. [Beau] Webster’s come in plus a few others have debuted in white-ball cricket. I don’t think the transition will be as jarring as we first thought,” said Pat Cummins.
