Why is Jos Buttler not playing GT vs MI IPL 2025 Eliminator match? Check GT playing 11

In a big news development, the Gujarat Titans (GT) are playing without their premier overseas wicket-keeper batter Jos Buttler in the important Eliminator encounter of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) against the Mumbai Indians (MI) being hosted at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. After being adjudged as the first team to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs, the Gujarat Titans slipped off the barrel during the last two league stage matches and thus, they also lost a chance of ending one or two on the points table. The 2022 IPL champions will now have to win three straight games to win their second title. 

Why is Jos Buttler not playing today's GT vs MI IPL 2025 Eliminator match?

It is a huge setback for the Gujarat Titans as they will miss the services of their premier wicket-keeper batter Jos Buttler in the knockout game against Mumbai Indians on Friday. The former England captain had already informed his franchise that he won't be available for the IPL 2025 playoffs due to national duty. England are hosting the West Indies in a three-match ODI and T20I series starting on May 29, 2025. Incidentally, the swashbuckling right-hander smacked 37 runs off 32 deliveries in the 1st ODI encounter against West Indies on Thursday. 

Interestingly, Jos Buttler has performed brilliantly well for the Gujarat Titans so far in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. The English batter has notched up an impressive total of 538 runs from 14 matches at a wonderful strike-rate of more than 160 that includes as many as five half-centuries. Due to his unavailability, the Gujarat Titans have signed Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batsman Kusal Mendis as the temporary replacement. 

"We would've chased. If someone would've said at the start of the season that we would've qualified, we would've taken it. Boys are very excited to be able to come back here in Chandigarh, it's my home town. This game is no different for us, no pressure of the knockout game or anything. Two changes - Mendis comes in for Buttler and Washington for Arshad," stated Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill during the toss. 

GT Playing 11

Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Kusal Mendis(w), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

GT IPL 2025 squad

Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Kusal Mendis(w), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Ishant Sharma, Washington Sundar, Jayant Yadav, Dasun Shanaka, Karim Janat, Kulwant Khejroliya, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra, Gurnoor Brar, Nishant Sindhu.