Kagiso Rabada Leaves IPL 2025 Mid-Season Due to Personal Reasons, Gujarat Titans Confirm

South African pace maestro Kagiso Rabada has unexpectedly exited the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mid-season, leaving Gujarat Titans (GT) to navigate the tournament without one of their marquee signings. The news broke on April 3, 2025, when GT released a statement confirming that Rabada had returned to South Africa to address “an important personal matter.” The announcement, made just days into the IPL 2025 season, has left fans and analysts buzzing about its implications for GT’s campaign and Rabada’s future in the tournament.

Rabada has only played in two games before leaving, having been purchased by GT for a whopping Rs. 10.75 crore in the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah. He took one wicket for 41 runs in the season opener against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 25. On March 29, he took another wicket for 42 against the Mumbai Indians (MI). Despite his lackluster stats, he, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna strengthened GT’s speed assault. Arshad Khan filled in for Rabada during GT’s third match, a resounding 8-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 2. Rabada’s potential return was not made clear in the Titans’ announcement, which raised doubts about their bowling strategy.
Rabada’s departure is a major setback for GT, who are now fourth in the IPL 2025 points standings with a 2-1 record. Rabada contributed experience and firepower, and he was well-known for his blistering pace and career IPL total of 119 wickets in 82 games. His success with the Delhi Capitals in the 2020 Purple Cap match (30 wickets) is still evidence of his T20 skill. With games like the one against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 6, GT may look to Karim Janat of Afghanistan or Gerald Coetzee of South Africa to cover for him. But it won’t be easy to replace Rabada’s lineage.

The response from the cricket community has been a mixture of support and worry. Although no official information has surfaced, Twitter posts show supporters wishing Rabada well and mourning GT’s passing. Some fans speculate about personal situations or health problems. Rabada had previously departed Punjab Kings in 2024 due to a soft-tissue ailment, but that was late in a struggling campaign. This is not the first time he has left the IPL in the middle of the season. The stakes seem larger now that GT is in the running.