England's former white-ball captain Jos Buttler will leave the rescheduled Indian Premier League 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 May 7 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 May 29 and the final moved back to June 3.That means the closing stages clash with England's home ODI series against the West Indies, with Buttler among five England players in the one-day squad contracted to IPL teams.Mendis will officially replace Buttler on May 26, allowing the Englishman to be available for the first match against the West Indies three days later.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)