England named five IPL-contracted players in their ODI squad for the home series against the West Indies on Tuesday 13 May 2025, the first squads of Harry Brook’s white-ball captaincy, as the England and Wales Cricket Board said no-objection certificates were granted on the original IPL dates and that any extension beyond them would need to be reviewed.
The Squads
England will host three ODIs and three T20Is against the West Indies, with the ODI leg starting on 29 May and the T20I leg from 6 June, the Australian Associated Press reported. The squads were the first selected since Brook succeeded Jos Buttler as white-ball captain after the Champions Trophy, according to the AAP report.
The AAP report noted a series of recalls and omissions. Liam Dawson returned to the T20 squad for the first time since September 2022, and Luke Wood was recalled for the first time since September 2023. Tom Hartley was recalled to the ODI squad. Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell were named in both squads, while Phil Salt was included in the T20 squad only after being left out of the 50-over squad. Liam Livingstone was dropped from both squads, and Mark Wood was ruled out through injury.
The IPL Clash
The five IPL-contracted players in the ODI squad are Jos Buttler, whose Gujarat Titans sit top of the table, Will Jacks of Mumbai Indians and Jacob Bethell of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, all of whom could still feature in the rescheduled play-offs if their teams progress, The Independent and Wisden reported. Jofra Archer of Rajasthan Royals and Jamie Overton of Chennai Super Kings are with teams that cannot reach the play-offs, according to the same reports.
The IPL was suspended earlier in May amid India-Pakistan tensions and then rescheduled, with the final now set for 3 June, the same day as the third ODI, leaving the play-offs to fall in the same period as the start of England’s series, Wisden reported.
The ECB’s Position
Asked about the scheduling clash, an England and Wales Cricket Board spokesperson said, in a statement carried by The Independent: “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. 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. We’ll continue to work closely with the BCCI and the IPL as the situation develops.”
What Is Not Settled
No decision has been announced on whether the three play-off players would stay in India or report for England duty. The series dates were set before the IPL was rescheduled, and England said they were working with the BCCI and the IPL on the situation, Wisden reported.
Wisden also noted that Livingstone’s omission from both squads, and Salt’s from the ODI squad, would leave them free for the remainder of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s season.
The Series Ahead
The West Indies series is England’s first home white-ball assignment of the 2025 summer and Brook’s first as captain. It also marks the start of England’s white-ball era under head coach Brendon McCullum, the AAP report noted. The scheduling question, on the ECB’s own account, remains open, and the movements of the three play-off players were left unresolved when the squads were named.
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Sources: The Northern Daily Leader, https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/8966180/england-pick-five-for-windies-odis-despite-ipl-clash/; The Independent, https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/england-cricket-squad-odi-t20-liam-dawson-livingstone-salt-west-indies-b2749986.html; Wisden, https://www.wisden.com/series/england-vs-west-indies-m-2025/cricket-news/england-white-ball-squads-v-west-indies-announced-county-titan-earns-long-awaited-international-recall
Photo: Number 10, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Illustrative: Jos Buttler in March 2023. The photograph is not from the events described in the article.
