Follow UsKagiso Rabada has gone through a lot lately. He received a ban for using a banned substance, but has since returned to competitive action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Former South Africa batter Daryll Cullinan says that the Australians will use it to their advantage in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025.
"Unfortunately, Rabada is going to deal with, for the rest of his career, comments being made relating to off-the-field matters, not only on the field but also by spectators," Cullinan told Hindustan Times in an interview.
"Only he can deal with it. The best would be just to take wickets. That'll settle that side of things too, but I think it'd be naive to think that comments won't be made and his attention brought to it, but it's going to be something that he's going to have to live with for the rest of his career, even if he's taking wickets."
Rabada has been in trouble with the Australians previously in 2018, when he was handed a two-match ban and slapped with a 50% fine, but it was later overturned after an appeal.
However, Australia captain Pat Cummins does not see Rabada's ban coming up during the WTC final. "It’s not really our style. I’d be surprised if that came up," Cummins said, at the pre-match press conference.
South Africa will be playing in their first WTC final, and they will be up against Australia, who beat India in the final in 2023.