Buttler to leave extended IPL early for England duty / Photo: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE - AFP
Buttler to leave extended IPL early for England duty
England's former white-ball captain Jos Buttler will leave the rescheduled Indian Premier League before the playoffs so he can be available for his country, likely to be the first of several early departures.
In a blow to the Gujarat Titans, the wicketkeeper will skip the playoffs should they get there, which seems highly likely because they top the 10-team table.
Gujarat said that Buttler will be replaced by the Sri Lankan Kusal Mendis, who will make his debut in the IPL.
The richest tournament in cricket was suspended last week because of a brief conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan.
Four days of drone, missile and artillery exchanges from May 7 left nearly 70 people, including dozens of civilians, dead on both sides.
The IPL will resume on Saturday after a truce but the schedule has been thrown off kilter, with the playoffs now starting May 29 and the final moved back to June 3.
That means the closing stages clash with England's home ODI series against the West Indies, with Buttler among five England players in the one-day squad contracted to IPL teams.
Mendis will officially replace Buttler on May 26, allowing the Englishman to be available for the first match against the West Indies three days later.
All-rounders Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, who play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians respectively, are also expected to leave the IPL early, the BBC reported.
Some South African and Australian players also look set to miss the playoff phase should their IPL teams get there.
The two countries contest the World Test Championship final on June 11 at Lord's and will start their preparations at the end of this month.
South Africa has said its players must leave India by May 26.
"As it stands, we're not budging on this," coach Shukri Conrad said this week.
P.Stein--VZ
