A. You got too reliant in EX-NDC and he started reading that, a good way to blow up that habit for people is rather than just letting EX-NDC go on wake up in close quarter situations is to cancel it into more block-string NDC pressure. That way even if they try and read or attack you basically do it as a flash parry and get full combo. If they don't you got free chip NDC pressure (and that's a worst case scenario here).
B. Kabal really needs to adjust his gameplan depending on the match-up. Some character's he can't zone as well, others he can't use all his pressure tools on, you need to know which match-ups those are and be ready to react accordingly. Cage, zoning. iAGBs and Ground Saws to keep him out and sweep once he gets closer. Sweep is a very underrated tool in this game, especially against Cage. When he's just out of reach he will try to advancing special right in on you or D1 dash on your iAGBs... Sweep him at the right time and then zone.
C. More mix ups with the NDC pressure, not just 2NDC and 111NDC do 11B4 NDC, 11Overhead, 11saw, B12 NDC, B1NDC, B12Saw, F3 NDC, F2 Overhead, F2 Saw, F32 NDC etc etc etc.... you get me? It's all about mix ups, it's all about making the opponent guess wrong because of the sheer amount of options. If you know they will poke the NDC? Commit, make them eat it, make them second guess all the shit they got.
D. Meter building, this is the most important one, Kabal can always build meter. At full screen, NDC between some iAGBs for extra. After you spin them at least one NDC each time to build meter. In mid air, kick into iAGB or punch into iAGB before you F4 NDC. Work on the execution for everything.
I'm not really the best Kabal out there (probably not even close), but i went from not being able to do shit like B1 NDC 2 NDC 2 F4, and B121 F4 NDC 2 NDC 2NDC 2 F4.... to pulling them off in matches at about 80% rate and improving. It's all about execution at the end of the day.
Don't forget your good D3 poke in NDC pressure.