IPL 2025: Why are Jos Buttler and Ryan Rickelton not playing in GT vs MI in Eliminator?. (Photo source: X)

In the do-or-die Eliminator of the ongoing IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bat first against Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh on Friday, May 30. There were a total of five changes made across both the teams, but the most shocking were the unavailabilities of big-match names like Jos Buttler and Ryan Rickelton.

While MI replaced Rickelton with English wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, the Gujarat-based franchise, on the other hand, brought in Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis to fill in Buttler's shoes. Notably, both the unavailable names have departed for their national duties, as South Africa prepare for the WTC Final against Australia, whereas England are already playing their multi-format series against the West Indies.

Big game, scoring runs will be nice. IPL is fun like that. We are aware. For almost nine games, we are playing like a knockout. We take this as a normal game and go on. We really need to turn up today and focus on the things we can control and take the smarter option. Three changes: Bairstow comes back, Gleeson gets his cap, Bawa comes in.

We would have chased. Very happy with the tournament so far. Boys are very excited; to come back to my hometown is going to be very exciting. Third time in four years playing the playoffs. No pressure for the knockout game. Kusal Mendis for Buttler, Washington in for Arshad.

Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (capt), Raj Bawa, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Richard Gleeson

Impact subs: Krishnan Shrijith, Raghu Sharma, Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley

Shubman Gill (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Kusal Mendis (wk), M Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Impact subs: Sherfane Rutherford, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Jayant Yadav, Arshad Khan