England opener Ben Duckett has decided to pull out from IPL 2026 with Delhi Capitals and he now faces a two-year ban from the auction and the league as per the amended rules. In the last year’s auction, Ben Duckett was roped in by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore, but now he wants to spend time at home and play red-ball cricket, following a forgettable run in the Ashes and being on the sidelines for the recent T20 World Cup.
Ben Duckett said Telegraph Sport “It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologize to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming,”
He added “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,”
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Ahead of IPL 2025, according to the rules tweaked overseas players who pull out of the league after being picked in the IPL auction will face a two-year ban if they don’t have a legitimate reason for doing so.
According to the IPL Governing Council, the only exception is for any injury or a medical condition which needs to be confirmed by home board of player.
Duckett told “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 am able to represent Delhi. But I have thought a lot about this, and know it is the right decision for my career,”
Duckett featured in all the five Ashes Tests but scored a poor runs of 202 in 10 outings at 20.20 without even a fifty.
Duckett told, “I have made this decision on my own accord. I have spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body.”
“We all have different journeys, but my journey into the Test team has come from County cricket. I know how valuable that is for me, scoring runs in the Championship and the confidence that gives me going into the rest of the summer.”
” 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 (Ashes), learn from mistakes, and go back to the drawing board with Notts.” added Duckett, who will be working with Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores.
During a mid-Ashes break, Duckett apologized for the excessive drinking incident in Noosa.
He said “I am sorry for that incident, it was not professional and shouldn’t have happened. There is no hiding away from it,”
Duckett told “My expectations were more (runs) than what I managed (in Ashes), but facing Starc with the new ball at 90mph every innings, was extremely tough work. No one is more frustrated with how I went than me,”
