IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans Sign Kusal Mendis as Replacement for Jos Buttler

The 18th season of IPL will resume tomorrow, May 17. One of the world’s premier cricket leagues was suspended on May 9 due to the military conflict between India and Pakistan. The teams have 12 matches left to play in the group stage, + an under-played game between PBKS and KKR. In addition, there are four playoff clashes on the schedule. In the current circumstances, the BCCI has decided to allow franchises to sign players to replace foreign cricketers who have left for their respective countries.

GT has made Their Move 

Gujarat Titans (GT) are currently leading the IPL 2025 table. They have accumulated 16 points from 11 matches with eight wins against three defeats. Having said that, the forced stoppage of the season has left a serious hole in the team’s roster. As it became known, English star Jos Buttler decided to prioritize his country’s national team. For this reason, GT had to look for a replacement and it was Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis.

What Happened? 

On May 29, the England team will start the home white-ball series against the West Indies. Buttler will be one of the mainstays in the squad, so he will not be able to help GT in the IPL playoffs. The franchise needs one win in three games to be among the top four teams in the league. The tournament is turning out to be a great one for Jos. The cricketer has played all 11 matches and has scored 500 runs. He is expected to help the team in the remaining three group stage clashes before leaving for England.

Who is Mendis? 

Kusal Mendis is 30 years old. He is a seasoned player with much experience in the T20 format. Kusal has scored over 4,700 runs in his career. The cricketer is expected to be included in the Titans’ playing XI immediately. His only competition in the team is Anuj Rawat.