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The IPL 2025 Eliminator at at Mullanpur is currently taking place between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI). With the stakes as high as they get—win and stay alive, lose and go home—MI skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bat first, aiming to put scoreboard pressure on the Titans in this do-or-die contest. But as the teams lined up for this crucial encounter, fans were quick to notice the absence of three key overseas stars: Jos Buttler, Ryan Rickelton, and Will Jacks.
Reason behind the absence of Jos Buttler, Ryan Rickelton, and Will Jacks
The absence of Buttler, Rickelton, and Jacks from today’s Eliminator is a direct result of international commitments that have overlapped with the IPL playoffs—a scenario that has become increasingly common in the crowded cricket calendar.
Buttler, a cornerstone of GT’s batting with 538 runs at a staggering average of 59.77 this season, is unavailable as he has returned to England for national duty. Buttler is leading his country in an ODI series against the West Indies, which began on May 29, and even featured in the opening game, making him ineligible for the IPL knockout stages. In his place, GT handed an IPL debut to Sri Lankan opener Kusal Mendis, hoping he can fill the significant void at the top of the order.
Rickelton has been a revelation for MI, amassing 388 runs in 14 matches with a brisk strike rate. However, the South African wicketkeeper-batter has left India to join his national squad ahead of the World Test Championship Final against Australia on June 11. His departure is a blow to MI’s top order, but they have turned to Jonny Bairstow, who brings experience and recent county form as a replacement.
Jacks, the dynamic English all-rounder, also finds himself on national duty. Jacks played in the first ODI against West Indies in Birmingham, scoring a quickfire 39. His all-round contributions—233 runs and six wickets—were central to MI’s league campaign. Without Jacks, MI lose both a power-hitter and a handy off-spin option, replacing him with Richard Gleeson.
Playing XI of MI and GT for IPL 2025 Eliminator
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (c), Raj Bawa, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Richard Gleeson
Impact subs: Krishnan Shrijith, Raghu Sharma, Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Kusal Mendis (wk), M Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Impact subs: Sherfane Rutherford, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Jayant Yadav, Arshad Khan
Also READ: Here’s how Mumbai Indians (MI) have fared in the IPL playoffs
