England’s Jos Buttler will leave the rescheduled IPL 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 7 May 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 29 May and the final moved back to 3 June.

That means the closing stages clash with England’s home ODI series against the West Indies, with Buttler among five England players in the squad contracted to IPL teams.

Mendis will officially replace Buttler on 26 May, 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 the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians respectively, are also expected to leave the IPL early, the BBC reported.

MORE: Proteas Test players to miss IPL playoffs

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 11 June at Lord’s and will start their preparations at the end of this month.

CSA has said its players must leave India by 26 May.

“As it stands, we’re not budging on this,” coach Shukri Conrad said this week.

© Agence France-Presse

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