Ben Duckett was bought at the IPL auction for the first time last year.
Ben Duckett has left Delhi Capitals (DC) in the ditch. The southpaw opener from England was picked up for INR 2 crore at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, marking his first stint in the cash-rich tournament. However, just like his white-ball captain, Harry Brook, Duckett has pulled out of the IPL.
Ben Duckett pulls out of IPL 2026
The 31-year-old has apologised to DC, but stated that he wishes to prioritise his England career. Duckett remains an all-format player for the Three Lions but didn’t feature in the T20 World Cup 2026 and averaged just 20.20 in the Ashes 2025-26, scoring 221 runs in 10 innings. Fearing for his position across formats, he’s decided to pull out of IPL 2026 and play the County Championship instead.
“It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming. I felt it was going to be a great opportunity when I put myself in the auction, and for a franchise like Delhi to pick me up was amazing. I was buzzing. It’s the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience.
I don’t know if I’m potentially saying goodbye to the IPL, having never played in it. With the age I am now [31], it might be tough for me, but I hope one day I’m able to represent Delhi. But I’ve thought a lot about this, and know it’s the right decision for my career,” Duckett told Telegraph Sport.
Banned for 2 seasons in IPL
As a result, Duckett will be banned from the IPL for 2 seasons. According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a foreign player who pulls out of the league without a valid reason, such as injury or international commitments, would be barred for 2 years.
“Any player who registers in the player auction and after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for 2 Seasons,” the IPL Player Regulations 2025-27 states.
Getting England career back on track
In a bid to show his commitment to England and Test cricket, Duckett will play for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship. It’s something Brook did last year, when he pulled out of IPL before getting named as England’s white-ball captain.
Duckett’s reputation had further taken a hit after the Noosa incident, where he was caught heavily intoxicated late at night after England were already 0-2 down in the Ashes. This, coupled with his performance, might have forced him to rethink going to IPL.
“I could have gone to the IPL, spent time on the sidelines, then rushed back into the Test summer. I wouldn’t have time to process the winter, learn from mistakes, and go back to the drawing board with Notts. I’m desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can. This is a decision I hope I will look back on in 10 years and see as a pivotal moment in my career, and the right decision. It will being doing everything I can to be ready for England,” he added.
