Titans hopeful of Rabada's return and Rashid's return to form

Gujarat Titans' (GT) strength, historically, has been their bowling. They have once again leaned on it to secure four wins in six matches in IPL 2025. The only blip is a very unlikely one.

Rashid Khan, for years one of T20 cricket's premier performers, has been going through a little bit of a lull. This season, he has bowled 22 overs and picked up only four wickets at an economy rate of 9.77 and average of 53.75.

GT assistant coach Aashish Kapoor has been working with Rashid, and believes he will be back to his best soon.

"As cricketers, whether it is a batsman or a bowler, over a period of time when you're doing well, you get into certain bad habits whether its batting or bowling, with your basics," Kapoor said. "With Rashid, I think it was his back which was hurting him last year where he had to do a surgery. Sometimes, when you are in so much pain and you're still playing matches, you tend to do something with your action so that your pain is less.

"I think there have been a few things that we spoke this year after two-three games where he needs to make a few adjustments to his front hand, which was rather closed. It should be facing the batsman when he's bowling. So he's doing that now. And he's bowling better lengths in the last one or two games. Hopefully he gets his confidence back, gets a few wickets, and he'll be the old Rashid Khan again."

GT face Delhi Capitals (DC) next, in Ahmedabad on Saturday evening. They are missing one of their other key bowlers, Kagiso Rabada, who left for South Africa to attend to some personal matters.

"We are just waiting for him," Kapoor said. "He might return. He's got some family, personal problems, for which he's gone. Once he's sorted out with that, if it's sorted out in time, he will be back. But we don't know when. We are just waiting as everyone is."

Rabada played two matches for GT this season, returning figures of 1 for 41 and 1 for 42.