It was a long time coming, but Gerald Coetzee finally made his Gujarat Titans debut. The South African speedster was named in the Playing XI for the first time in IPL 2025, in the GT vs SRH clash on Friday. The former Mumbai Indians pacer replaces Karim Janat, while Kagiso Rabada continues to be unavailable.
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Coetzee makes Gujarat Titans debut
Gerald Coetzee is one of the world’s most exciting fast bowling prospects. The 24-year-old speedster is a hit-the-deck bowler, capable of bowling the hard overs. He played for the Mumbai Indians last season, picking up 13 wickets in 10 games at a strike rate of 15.4. In the SA20, he plays for the Johannesburg Super Kings, where he has picked 19 wickets in just 10 games.
Coetzee joins a Gujarat Titans attack that already boasts of the in-form Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma and Prasidh Krishna. The 24-year-old will hope to make a mark instantly, with his franchise chasing a spot in the playoffs.
Karim Janat, meanwhile, returns to the bench after a forgettable outing in Jaipur. The Afghanistan pacer was hit for 30 runs by young Vaibhav Suryavanshi in Gujarat Titans’ 3rd defeat of IPL 2025.
Coetzee was bought for Rs 2.4 crore in the IPL 2025 Auction. Shubman Gill will hope that the 24-year-old can fill the void left by the absence of Kagiso Rabada. The South African played the first two games of IPL 2025, before flying back home to tend to a family issue. The Titans have not issued any update on when Rabada returns, and having Coetzee as backup will ease Gill’s concerns.
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