Kagiso Rabada embracing leadership role down under

PROTEAS fast bowler Kagiso Rabada is embracing the responsibility that comes with being the senior player in Australia, with the likes of Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius looking up to him for guidance.

Over a decade ago, Rabada received his maiden international cap down under, and now, he has traveled back to Australia with a squad featuring a number of players on their debut tour of Australia.

Maphaka, Pretorius and Brevis are the youngest in the group, but are not the only ones in their maiden international tour of Australia, as Ryan Rickelton, Nqaba Peter and Corbin Bosch are also in Australia for the first time with the Proteas.

Being one of the most experienced players, Rabada has the responsibility to lead from the front. The youngsters are looking up to him and Captain Aiden Markram to show them the ropes.

The 30-year-old told the media on Thursday that he is now used to the leadership role.

"We've got some exciting talent coming through. They're just waiting and raring to go. So they'll be wanting to thrive on this stage. Players like myself, Aiden, we've been on the circle for quite some time. So, we are adopting the leadership position, the senior positions, and it's normal," Rabada told the media.

"We've got Kwena Maphaka, an extremely exciting talent. Dewald Brevis and Luandre Pretorius. (Remembering) when I came here for the first time, that reminds me of the space that they're in.

"I'm sure they just want to do their best. When you're young, you've got no fear at all. I'm excited to see how they're going to go in their careers."

Rabada and the Proteas T20I team are in Australia for three matches, and this series marks the start of the preparation of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

With the youngsters also involved, the Proteas will be hoping that they shape up to be a strong team, one that can win the World Cup next year.

With senior players such as Marco Jansen (injured) and David Miller (released to The Hundred) not involved in the series, the options for the World Cup are aplenty.

Moreover, with the Proteas having won the WTC final, their first ICC trophy in 27 years, Rabada feels the monkey is off their backs and that they now have no fear.

"It's kind of like a relief. I guess the T20 World Cup will be a bit different now, there's no fear of anything," said Rabada.

"There's not too much time leading into that big event. But you're looking at growing this team within the next year, year and a half. That's the bigger goal looking into 2027, but certainly a short-term goal leading into the 2026 World Cup, looking at guys like David, who are going to be back, and Marco, who are going to be back.

"That gives a bit more of solidification in terms of the team and mainly the experience. But these games would be just to get a feel for one another as teammates, how we're going to go about it.

"It's a work in process, there's no fear of winning or losing. Although we play to win 100%, I don't think that is the main thing, but it's a process and it's a process of evaluation."

The upcoming series also marks Shukri Conrad's second stint since he was appointed as the all-format coach. However, it marks Rabada's first white ball series since Conrad's appointment.

The 29-year-old told the media that he is enjoying the new set of ideas that Conrad has brought into the white ball space.

"It's been quite interesting to try and understand how he's going to go about the two different formats and his methodology as to what he feels outside of the Test space," he said.

"It's been kind of similar. But there have been quite a few things going a bit left field, which is quite refreshing and interesting to think about. It's like a new set of possibilities."

The first T20I gets underway on Sunday.