IPL 2020 | Delhi Capitals' Kagiso Rabada Raring to Go After Much Needed Break

Like most cricketers, Kagiso Rabada is keen to be back in action after the coronavirus lockdown and in his sight is the IPL that will be held in UAE from September 19 to November 10.

Rabada admits he needed the break that the lockdown provided. “I really, really enjoyed it. It’s been five years of non-stop cricket, so I loved being home. To be honest I was in no rush to get back. But we are also sportsmen, and we are always competitive and once you get back into it those juices flow naturally,” Rabada was quoted as saying by iol.co.za.

Rabada has played quite a lot of cricket into the last six years since making his debut in a T20 match against Australia in Adelaide in 2014. He’s played a total of 142 matches - 43 Tests, 75 One-Day and 24 T20 Internationals.

The time off has allowed him to reflect and reset. Initially he’d like to have a good IPL, for the Delhi Capitals, for whom he starred last year.

“I’m excited to go back to Dubai for the IPL. I’ve not been since the 2014 Under-19 World Cup and I’ve always wanted to visit again.”

That was the tournament that Rabada announced himself to the world, and just over a year later he was picked for the senior men’s side.

Delhi will hope that such good memories can spur Rabada on to greater heights in an IPL that will be played with crowds absent in a ‘bio bubble’ at three different venues.

Rabada has been training under Highveld Lions coach Wandile Gwavu at the Wanderers.

“It felt like I was coming out of an off-season although that felt new because I haven’t really had an off-season in the past,” he said.

He’ll also check in at Cricket SA’s Centre of Excellence in the next few days for some technical analysis that will include being strapped up into a hi-tech suit, from which data will be gathered to assess pressure points in his action.

“They’re doing that analysis with all the bowlers around the country, everything is moving to (Artificial Intelligence) these days, with players and coaches using data to enhance their performances.

“I’m slowly getting back into it,” he said about his few weeks of bowling. “I’m feeling all right.”