Michael Vaughan lambasts ICC's decision to ban Kagiso Rabada for one Test

Ongoing South Africa vs England Test series took a controversial turn on Friday when Proteas pace-bowling spearhead Kagiso Rabada was reprimanded for his celebration after taking the wicket of Joe Root on the opening day of the Port Elizabeth Test match. Rabada is set to miss the fourth and final Test at Johannesburg.

It all happened during the afternoon session of the opening day of the third Test when the South African spearhead bamboozled Joe Root’s stump by beating him for pace. Following the hard-earned wicket, Kagiso Rabada let out a guttural roar at the departing Root, before he was swamped by his teammates.

Rabada, who admitted the offense after the day’s play, was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match”. 

The International Cricket Council announced the decision on Friday, and naturally, it hasn’t gone down well with the folklore including former English cricketers: Michael Vaughan.

Vaughan took to Twitter where he lambasted the ICC’s call while also taking a dig at the apex body on how the over-rate related issues are always ignored and said, “Rabada getting a 1 game ban for celebrating taking the Wicket of the opponents best player is absolutely bonkers … Over rates & slow play nothing gets done … Celebrate a wicked and you are banned … The World is bloody nuts … #SAvENG

Rabada getting a 1 game ban for celebrating taking the Wicket of the opponents best player is absolutely bonkers … Over rates & slow play nothing gets done … Celebrate a wicked and you are banned … The World is bloody nuts … #SAvENG

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 17, 2020

Kagiso Rabada has had a tumultuous past at St. George’s park

Another English captain who wasn’t particularly pleased with the ICC’s decision is Nasser Hussain. Hussain, who is currently commentating in the Test series came to Rabada’s defence and listed out various reasons like hot weather, flat track, him not getting the new ball and the ecstasy of getting one of the best batsmen out in the manner that he did.

Incidentally, this is not the first time that Rabada has been reprimanded for going overboard at his celebrations while playing at St.George’s park. All the three incidents that have contributed to the fast bowler getting banned took place in Port Elizabeth. While in 2018, he was sanctioned for using provocative language at India’s Shikhar Dhawan, a few months later, back-t0-back incidents against Australia almost saw him banned.

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