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Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis has been roped in by Gujarat Titans as a replacement for Jos Buttler ahead of the IPL 2025 playoffs.
Mendis, who recently turned heads with his performances for Quetta Gladiators in PSL 10, will be making his IPL debut after years of going unsold at auctions.
The 29-year-old scored 143 runs at a strike rate of 168 across five outings in the PSL, where he also kept wickets and added crucial impetus to the Quetta Gladiators’ middle order.
With Buttler unavailable due to England’s ODI series against West Indies, scheduled to begin on May 29, the same day as the IPL playoffs, Gujarat were in the market for a seasoned replacement, and Mendis’ recent form made him a compelling pick.
Sources suggest that Kusal Mendis opted out of returning to Pakistan for the remainder of the PSL due to security concerns and instead chose to take up the IPL offer.
He is currently awaiting his Indian visa and is expected to join the Titans by Saturday.
Though Gujarat already have Anuj Rawat and Kumar Kushagra as wicketkeeping options, Mendis’ current touch with the bat brings added depth and experience heading into the business end of the season.
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