Buttler, Bethell, Jacks set to miss IPL playoffs

Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks appear set to miss the rearranged IPL 2025 playoffs after they were named in England's squad for a home ODI series against West Indies.*

England's players left the IPL when the tournament was suspended last week after cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan but are expected to return ahead of the league's resumption on Saturday. But the new dates leave Buttler (Gujarat Titans), Bethell (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Jacks (Mumbai Indians) facing a clash between their franchise commitments and international duty.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that Bethell will return to India for RCB's next two fixtures, but will fly home before their final group match in Lucknow and report to Birmingham ahead of the first ODI at Edgbaston. Jacks and Buttler's travel plans could not be confirmed on Tuesday evening, but they are also expected to return to the IPL briefly before flying home for the ODI series.

The ECB made a commitment before November's mega auction that centrally-contracted England players would be fully available for the IPL in 2025, which meant Bethell was not included in their Test squad to face Zimbabwe from May 22. But that commitment covered the IPL's original dates, and the final has now been pushed back to June 3.

England named a 16-man squad on Tuesday for their three-match ODI series against West Indies, which starts on May 29. The IPL's rearranged group stage now runs until May 27, with the playoffs starting on May 29 and running until the final on June 3. GT, RCB and MI are all well-placed to qualify for the final stages.

The ECB did not provide a definitive answer when contacted on Tuesday evening. "No Objection Certificates have been granted based on the original IPL dates, so we'll need to review any potential extensions, particularly in relation to any clash with the final white-ball squad," an ECB spokesperson said when the squad was announced.

"We're keen to support the IPL and the BCCI in getting the schedule up and running, and to facilitate players' return should they choose to go back," the spokesperson added. "We'll continue to work closely with the BCCI and the IPL as the situation develops."

Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals) and Jamie Overton (Chennai Super Kings) have also been named in the ODI squad, though their franchises have already been knocked out of contention for the knockout stages. ESPNcricinfo understands that Overton is unlikely to return to India for the league's resumption.

While Bethell's absence is a blow for RCB, their two other English players, Liam Livingstone and Phil Salt, are set to be available for the rest of the IPL after they were dropped from England's ODI squad. Salt has been included for the T20I series which starts on June 6, three days after the IPL final, while Livingstone has been left out entirely.

There are two players in the West Indies ODI squad likely to be affected by the clash: Romario Shepherd (RCB) and Sherfane Rutherford (GT). Shamar Joseph is also involved in both the ODI squad and the IPL, though his team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), are highly unlikely to qualify for the playoffs.

Shepherd and Rutherford were both expected to miss West Indies' ODIs against Ireland from May 21-25, and ESPNcricinfo understands that they will likely be allowed to stay at the IPL until their respective franchises' seasons are over. CWI has been contacted for comment and is expected to issue a statement on Tuesday night.

England and West Indies have regularly fielded weakened sides in their recent meetings, but this ODI series takes on unusual importance with both teams battling to reach the 2027 World Cup. Co-hosts South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe will qualify automatically along with the next eight highest-ranked teams, and England and West Indies sit eighth and ninth respectively.

The series is also Harry Brook's first since assuming the captaincy from Buttler on a permanent basis following their abject results earlier this year, losing 10 out of 11 white-ball matches across a tour to India and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.