Kagiso Rabada has returned to the Gujarat Titans (GT) camp for the rest of IPL 2025. Currently, GT is up against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 56th match of IPL 2025, which is taking place at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, May 6. Despite his recent return, Rabada is not participating in this match.
GT captain Shubman Gill won the toss and decided to bowl first. Both GT and MI are strong contenders in IPL 2025 and are aiming for a spot in the playoffs. GT holds the fourth position in the points table with 14 points, having won seven of their 10 matches and lost three. On the other hand, MI has played 11 matches, winning seven and losing four, also with 14 points, but securing the third spot due to a better Net Run Rate (NRR).
Shubman Gill: Kagiso Rabada Needs a Few Matches to Find His Rhythm
While announcing the playing XI for the upcoming match, Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill revealed that Kagiso Rabada was not included in the squad as he still requires more practice to regain his form.
“[Kagiso] Rabada is back, but he needs a few games to get back into rhythm. We are fortunate to have [Sai] Kishore available when needed. We have 6-7 bowling options,” Gill stated.
This indicates that Rabada might miss the upcoming matches as well, with a potential return during the playoffs. GT has four more league stage games left, including a crucial fixture against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday. In another update, Gill confirmed that Washington Sundar was replaced by Arshad Khan for this match.
“We will bowl first. I don’t think the wicket will change much, so it’s important to post a good total and then chase it down. It’s all about performing as a team. We have one change: Arshad [Khan] replaces [Washington] Sundar,” Gill concluded.
Rabada had to leave the IPL 2025 mid-way in the first week of April after featuring in just two matches. The bowler was penalized by Cricket South Africa (CSA) for testing positive for recreational drugs during the SA20 tournament, which led to a suspension from the board. He has since rejoined the IPL 2025 season.
Following his exit, GT had issued an official statement mentioning that Rabada left due to personal reasons but would return later. No replacement was named by the team for him. Rabada has taken two wickets in two games at an economy rate of 10.37 in IPL 2025.