RCB vs GT, IPL 2025: Why is Kagiso Rabada Not Playing For Gujarat Titans Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru?

Gujarat Titans' South African pacer Kagiso Rabada has missed the crucial IPL 2025 encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 2).

The Protea quick, who was bought by GT at the IPL Mega Auction last year for Rs 10.75 Crore, has claimed two wickets in two outings for his new team so far this season. Rabada had been bowling in tandem with Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.

Why is Kagiso Rabada not playing for Gujarat Titans against Royal Challengers Bengaluru?

As per GT captain Shubman Gill's update at the toss, the South African pacer misses out due to personal reasons. There is no further update on the same as it's not an injury issue as he bowled at full tilt in the first two matches.

"We'll bowl first. Looks like a good wicket. We've seen the conditions don't change much. We're all about reducing our unforced errors. We'll try to finetune the areas that need it. Kagiso misses out due to personal reasons so we've got Arshad Khan back," Shubman Gill said after winning the toss.

Replacing Rabada in the playing 11 is all-rounder Arshad Khan, who had earlier turned up for the Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians. The uncapped Indian bowling all-rounder, who bowls left arm medium-pace, had scored a fighting fifty during his stint with LSG last season.

Making his first appearance for GT, Arshad struck in the first over, removing Virat Kohli, who holed out to deep square leg. Former RCB pacer Siraj too joined the party, dismissing Devdutt Padikkal, leaving RCB reeling at 15/2 in 3 overs.

So, GT has not missed the services of Rabada at the start of the RCB innings. Rabada has so far claimed 113 wickets in 82 IPL matches since his debut in the 2017 season. He has represented three teams in the IPL. While Delhi Capitals was his first team, Rabada had a stint at Punjab Kings before moving to GT.