May 13, 2025 England’s Jos Buttler and South African pacer Gerald Coetzee are set to rejoin the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad on Wednesday, ahead of the resumption of IPL 2025 on May 17, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
Buttler and Coetzee were the only overseas players to temporarily leave India following the suspension of the league last Thursday due to heightened cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. However, GT’s other international players—including Rashid Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Kagiso Rabada, and Karim Janat—chose to stay with the team during the brief halt.
Schedule & Playoff Race
Gujarat Titans currently top the points table with 16 points, edging past Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on net run rate. The team has three games remaining in the group stage:
- vs Delhi Capitals on May 18
- vs Lucknow Super Giants on May 22
- vs Chennai Super Kings on May 25 in Ahmedabad
Notably, Buttler and Rutherford’s availability may be affected by national duties, as both players are named in their respective ODI squads—England and West Indies—for a series beginning May 29 in England, which clashes with the concluding phase of the IPL.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Update
Meanwhile, most of KKR’s overseas contingent is expected to arrive in Bengaluru between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Players including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, and mentor Dwayne Bravo have been stationed in Dubai since the suspension. Wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, currently in Kabul, will travel to Dubai and then join the group en route to India.
Anrich Nortje of South Africa will fly in from the Maldives, while KKR’s Indian players and support staff are also set to regroup on Wednesday.
KKR’s Playoff Hopes
Currently sixth in the standings with 11 points, the defending champions face a tough battle to reach the playoffs. Their remaining fixtures—against Sunrisers Hyderabad and RCB—are must-win games. Two victories could take them to 15 points, but qualification would still depend on other match results.
IPL 2025 is set to resume in full swing from May 17, concluding with the final on June 3.