England's Jos Buttler Leaves IPL Playoffs for West Indies ODIs, Titans Name Replacement

Jos Buttler will miss the IPL playoffs to prioritize England's ODI series against the West Indies. The Gujarat Titans have named Kusal Mendis as his replacement.

England's former white-ball captain Jos Buttler will leave the Indian Premier League before the playoffs to prioritize his national team commitments. Buttler's departure is a blow to the Gujarat Titans, who are currently topping the 10-team table and likely to qualify for the playoffs.

Buttler's decision to miss the playoffs stems from England's upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies, scheduled from May 29 to June 3, which coincides with the IPL playoffs. The Qualifier 1 will be held on May 29, and the final will take place on June 3, making it impossible for Buttler to participate in both events.

Impact on Gujarat Titans and Replacement

Buttler has been a key player for the Gujarat Titans, scoring 500 runs in 11 matches at an average of 71.43, including five fifties. In his absence, Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis is set to join the team for the playoffs. Mendis, who plays for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League, will skip the remainder of the PSL 2025 due to security concerns.

The Gujarat Titans announced that Jos Buttler will be replaced by Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis, who will make his IPL debut.

The IPL was recently suspended due to a brief conflict between India and Pakistan, but it has since resumed. Mendis joins the Titans ahead of the playoffs, where they are strong contenders given their current top position in the table.

Recent clashes resulted in nearly 70 fatalities on both sides, including many civilians, due to four days of intense drone, missile and artillery exchanges starting May 7.

The Indian Premier League has resumed after a brief suspension due to the conflict, but the schedule has been revised. Here's an overview of the updated IPL schedule:

Playoffs Schedule:

• Qualifier 1: May 29
• Eliminator: May 30
• Qualifier 2: June 1
• Final: June 3

Virat Kohli, still a consistent IPL run machine 👑

Jos Buttler is the only overseas player on this list pic.twitter.com/RzeA9L2NLP

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 15, 2025

Resumption Details:

• The league will continue with 17 remaining matches across six venues.
• Two double-headers are scheduled for Sundays during the final leg of the league stage.
• Venues for the playoff matches will be announced separately.

The IPL's revised schedule conflicts with England's home ODI series against the West Indies. Five England players in the ODI squad are contracted to IPL teams, including Jos Buttler.

Buttler's departure has been formalized, with Kusal Mendis set to officially replace him on May 26. This allows Buttler to join England's squad for the ODI series against the West Indies, starting on May 29.

More players are expected to leave the IPL early to prioritize international commitments. All-rounders Jacob Bethell (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Will Jacks (Mumbai Indians) might depart before the playoffs, according to BBC reports. South African and Australian players may also miss the IPL playoffs if their teams advance, as they'll prepare for the World Test Championship final on June 11 at Lord's.

South Africa's cricket coach, Shukri Conrad, has confirmed that the country's players in the IPL must leave India by May 26 to prepare for the World Test Championship final. Conrad emphasized that the decision is firm, stating, “As it stands, we're not budging on this.”