Kagiso Rabada needs more time in the nets: Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill

Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill on Tuesday said that South African pacer Kagiso Rabada needs more net time after the pacer did not feature in the team's clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium following his return from a drug ban.

Rabada left the IPL 2025 and headed home on April 3 to serve a provisional suspension for taking a recreational drug.

"He is back in time, but we thought he might need a couple of more practice sessions to be able to get back in the groove," Gill said at the toss at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

The pacer, who has played just two matches for Gujarat in this season of the T20 tournament, was "deeply sorry" for his actions.

Rabada had confessed to having failed a dope test for recreational drug, and was serving a suspension. "As has been reported, I recently returned to South Africa from participating in the IPL for personal reasons. This was due to my returning an adverse analytical finding for the use of a recreational drug, I am serving a provisional suspension, and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing," the 29-year-old had said.

It is not clear as to what substance the pacer consumed. The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, which would have tested him, will issue a statement later in the day. That is likely to reveal more details and where Rabada's breach aligns with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.

Gujarat are placed fourth in the 10-team table with four league matches left for the 2022 champions, who won the IPL in their debut season.