Kagiso Rabada tells Australia to bring on sledging at World Test Championship Final after drug ban

South African firebrand Kagiso Rabada has dared Australia to sledge him in the World Test Championship final next week as he makes his return to international cricket after his drug ban.

South African firebrand Kagiso Rabada has dared Australia to sledge him in the World Test Championship final next week.

Fast bowler Rabada was suspended for a month after returning a positive swab for recreational drug use during South Africa’s T20 tournament in January.

The hearing and suspension were shrouded in mystery and many judges felt it could prove likely fodder for Australia to sledge the exceptional fast man at Lord’s.

He says “bring it on.’’

“Well, I think it’s just because they come at you, and I think that gets the best out of me – when they come at me, I think it gets the best out of me, and they have been notorious for that over the years, right? So yeah, let’s see,” he told South African Broadcast Corporation.

Kagiso Rabada has plenty of history with Australia. Picture: Michael Sheehan/AP Photo

Australia faces an interesting decision whether to remind the fast man of his error. Over the years there have been plenty of rivals intimidated by Australian sledging but some – like Brian Lara and Viv Richards – were motivated by it.

Rabada, who apologised for his actions in May, said he wanted to move on from the incident and felt no inclination to consistently apologise.

“I’m just glad to be playing again. The process was handled really well ... I think, as a player, and a man, people will have their different opinions. I can live with that,” Rabada told media on Saturday before leaving for London.

“There are some people who would have been disappointed and to those people I’m deeply sorry ... The people closest to me are the ones I felt I let down.

“But life moves on. I’ll never be ‘Mr-I-Apologise-Too-Much’. But I’ll never condone that action.”

The Australian side has assembled in England and are in the midst of a brief training camp.

Originally published as Kagiso Rabada tells Australia to bring on sledging at World Test Championship Final after drug ban