Prenelan Subrayen, suspected of illegal bowling action, dominated cricket headlines after his ODI debut for South Africa against Australia on August 19, 2025. He bowled ten overs, took out Travis Head, and ended up with figures of 1 for 46. However, match officials soon reported him for a suspect action, and the ICC immediately flagged his bowling under its rules.
According to ICC laws, a bowler must not extend the elbow more than 15 degrees while delivering the ball. When officials believed Subrayen crossed that limit, they acted quickly. As a result, the spinner now faces another round of testing. Subrayen has fought this battle before. In 2012, ICC testing declared his action illegal. Although he worked hard and gained clearance in 2013, concerns returned.
Back in 2014, umpires flagged him once more during the Champions League T20. Just one year later, in 2015, another domestic T20 match brought fresh complaints. Tests once more found his action illegal. Despite the challenges, he dedicated himself to training, made the necessary adjustments, and ultimately earned his clearance in 2016 at Cricket South Africa’s High-Performance Centre. Therefore, when ICC flagged him again in 2025, many fans saw it as a continuation of his long and difficult journey.
The ICC has a straightforward process in place. When a bowler gets reported, they have 14 days to go through an independent assessment at a lab that’s approved by the ICC. During this time, the bowler can still participate in matches.
However, South Africa’s management decided otherwise. They decided to give Subrayen a break for the remainder of the series against Australia. By doing this, they protected him from media pressure and allowed him to prepare for the testing process without distractions.
Teams often make this choice for several reasons. Firstly, it prevents controversy during ongoing matches. Secondly, it helps the bowler focus only on correcting the action. Thirdly, it shows strong support from the team’s side.
In Subrayen’s case, this decision proved wise. Many experts and fans expressed sympathy, knowing he has fought similar battles before. Even though repeated reports can damage confidence, he has always responded with determination.
Now, Subrayen is set to go through some testing at an ICC facility. If everything checks out, he’ll be able to bowl without any restrictions. On the other hand, if the tests confirm an illegal action, he will once again need to work on corrections before returning to play.
Importantly, this process is not unusual. Legendary bowlers such as Muttiah Muralitharan, Saeed Ajmal, and Sunil Narine have all been under the same kind of scrutiny. They too had to remodel their actions before resuming international cricket.
In summary, Prenelan Subrayen, suspected of illegal bowling action, shows how tough cricket regulations can be on bowlers. He impressed with his debut performance, yet doubts about his technique overshadowed his success. Even so, South Africa’s decision to rest him reflects both trust and support. Moving forward, ICC testing will decide his future. Until then, the cricket world will watch closely as Subrayen fights once again to prove his action fair and legal.
