I am letting myself and the team down: Kagiso Rabada

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada has realised that he needs to relook at his on-field behaviour after being suspended for the two Test matches by ICC. He was the chief tormentor of the Aussies in the match by taking 11 wickets which eventually helped Proteas level the four-match series. He has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series now. However, Rabada believes that he has to stop getting suspended which leads to letting the team down time and again.

This is not the first time has received the suspension as he last sat out when they toured England due to his altercation with Ben Stokes. As it stands now, he has been charged with level 2 for brushing the shoulder with the Australian skipper Steve Smith on the first day of the Port Elizabeth Test.

I can’t keep doing this

Kagiso Rabada, however, maintained his stance that he didn’t brush Smith’s shoulders deliberately after the match. “It’s going to have to stop. I can’t keep doing this because I am letting the team down and I am letting myself down,” he was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo. The youngster has been the lynchpin of the Proteas bowling attack ever since making his debut at the highest level.

He also continued saying that he won’t change the way of celebration after taking a wicket but he will do it by going away from the batsman. “I won’t change the way I express myself but I just will get far away from the batter. There are a lot of grey areas but rules are rules. The reason why we went for a hearing was because we believe that there’s not a lot of consistency. If I knew I did it deliberately, I wouldn’t have gone to contest,” Rabada added.

“I didn’t even feel contact in that moment because I was so pumped up. If I did it deliberately then I wouldn’t have contested. It’s the same as with Lord’s – I didn’t try and appeal because I knew I did it,” the 22-year-old continued.

As it stands right now, South Africa will have to play without their spearhead pace bowler in the third Test which commences on March 22 in Cape Town.

Here’s our video of the day:

Keep following CricTracker for more news and updates.