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Jos Buttler will be replaced in the Gujarat Titans' IPL playoff team by Sri Lankan batsman-wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis. Before last week, Kusal Mendis was a wicketkeeper-batter for the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The last time he performed for them was on May 7. He has decided to participate in the IPL, a league he has never played in before, instead of going to Pakistan for the rest of the PSL because of alleged safety concerns. Buttler's inclusion in England's ODI team for the home series against the West Indies, which begins on May 29, is the reason he won't be able to play in the playoffs. On the same day, the IPL playoffs get underway. Two further wicketkeeping options for GT are Kumar Kushagra and Anuj Rawat. Gladiators' Kusal Mendis, on the other hand, has been playing well, scoring 143 runs with a strike rate of 168 in five PSL games. For Kusal Mendis, who had frequently put his name in the IPL auctions but had never been purchased, simply being approached by an IPL team as a replacement is somewhat of a career boost. He is anticipated to join the GT team on Saturday and is reportedly awaiting his India visa. Currently leading the IPL standings, GT is tied with Royal Challengers Bengaluru on points but has a higher net run rate. They can secure their postseason spot with only one more victory.

As IPL 2025 is ready to resume on May 17, the majority of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) international players will likely land in Bengaluru between Wednesday evening and early Thursday. At the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, KKR will play Royal Challengers Bengaluru in an important game as the season begins. Following the IPL's one-week suspension on May 9 due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, and team coach Dwayne Bravo, who are part of KKR's West Indian contingent, have been in Dubai since departing India. After a ceasefire was declared on May 10, the IPL might potentially return, and clubs started calling up their foreign players. While South Africa's Anrich Nortje will join the team in Bengaluru from the Maldives, KKR's wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is currently in Kabul, will travel to Dubai to join the West Indian team. Fast bowler Spencer Johnson and all-rounder Moeen Ali are currently in Australia and the UK, respectively, and while there is no word on when they will be available again, there are signs that they will. The return of Quinton de Kock has not yet been confirmed. On Wednesday, KKR's Indian players and support staff are expected to begin arriving in Bengaluru in groups. With 5 wins and one loss from 12 games, KKR is now ranked sixth in the standings. On May 25, KKR will play their final league match in Delhi against Sunrisers Hyderabad following their match against RCB. To have a chance of making the playoffs, they must win both games to get 15 points. On Monday, the IPL announced the updated schedule for the remaining games of the season, which now includes 13 league games in addition to the four playoff games. The locations for the playoffs have not yet been revealed, but the remaining league games will take place in Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The following are the playoff dates: May 29 for Qualifier 1, May 30 for Eliminator 2, June 1 for F