Ahmadabad: Kagiso Rabada reflected on a “disappointing” 2025 season but underlined his shift from being “desperate” to “determined” after producing a match-winning spell to guide the Gujarat Titans to victory over Kolkata Knight Riders.
Rabada, who had missed a significant portion of the previous edition due to a recreational drug-related suspension, returned with figures of 3/29, his best this season, to set up a five-wicket win on Friday.
“I didn’t have a season (2025)…. It is something that was really disappointing, especially being involved in such a setup. I think Gujarat is a magnificent set-up, unbelievable,” Rabada told reporters after the match.
“There is a part of me that really wants to do well for this franchise, but I don’t think you want to be desperate. There is one thing being eager, and another thing being desperate. I think desperation is probably the way that you want to go about things.
“As always, coming into an IPL season or any game of cricket that I play, I am incredibly determined to do well for the team and for myself.”
The pace duo of Rabada (3/29) and Mohammed Siraj (2/23) dismantled the KKR top order, exploiting early movement to restrict them to 180.
“…with the new ball, perhaps there was a bit more moisture and there was a bit more two-paced, a little bit of uneven bounce, so the batsmen couldn’t really throw their hands at everything; they had to really check their strokes,” Rabada said.
“That was the decision and the decision was for myself and Siraj to bowl for the entire power play, and on any given day you could have them five down in that power play but we will take three down any day,” the 30-year-old South African speedster said.
“And then moving on to the middle overs and the death overs, it is just about executing a game plan that we feel is going to work based on what we have adapted or pre-planned what we wanted to do.”
Winning more important than NRR
Gujarat Titans registered their third successive win to move to fourth on the points table, though their net run rate remains only marginally above zero compared to the stronger figures of Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals.
“Look, the most important thing is to win. The net run rate is something that you want to be good but I don’t think it is something that you prioritise,” Rabada said.
“We know that we have the depth and the skill to score quicker, especially in the middle overs, but then again you have to trust the guys in the middle, you have to trust their natural games.
