Tim Paine lambasts authorities for lack of transparency over Kagiso Rabada's doping case

The Gujarat Titans faced a big blow recently as one of their star pacers, Kagiso Rabada was suspended for recreational drug use. However, it seems like the South African is set to make his return into IPL 2025 after a month.

While this is supposed to be good news for the franchise, some experts have expressed their disappointment at keeping this issue hidden from the people and slammed the authorities who handled the case. One of the former cricketers who expressed his disappointment at how the case is being handled is former Australian skipper Tim Paine, who claimed that the case should not have been "kept under the rug".

“It stinks. I don't like this use around personal issues, and it is being used to hide stuff that isn't a personal issue. If you have a professional sportsman who's tested for recreational drugs during a tournament in which he is playing, that doesn't fall under personal issues for me. That falls under you having broken your contract. That is not a personal issue; that is something that is happening in your personal life. Taking drugs - recreational or performance enhancing - is not a personal issue that can just be hidden for a month. A guy can be taken out of the IPL, moved back to South Africa, and we just let it slide under the rug. Then we will bring him back once he's already served his ban," Paine said on the SEN Radio breakfast show.

“Not only will he play against Australia in the world Test Championship, but he's also available to play now in the IPL, No one knew about what he's taken, what he was given, or who the organising body that oversaw it was. If he is going to take drugs and be caught doing it, I think people deserve to know what he's taken, how long he is being rubbed out for, and who sanctioned it (the suspension). People need to be held to account for stuff like that,” the former Australian Test skipper added.

Also Read: 'The incident is regrettable' - CSA releases statement on Kagiso Rabada's failed drug test

Speaking of Rabada’s IPL career, he has played 82 matches so far and has taken 119 wickets at an average of 22.29. His best season was the 2020 edition, in which he took 30 wickets in 17 games at an average of 18.26 while playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC).