Ben Duckett has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League, sacrificing a £200,000 deal with Delhi Capitals and facing a three-year ban from the tournament, in a bid to secure his place in England's Test team. The opener, who was signed at the IPL auction in December, cited a need to play county cricket for Nottinghamshire after a poor Ashes series and heavy travel following T20 World Cup reserve duties.
Duckett told the Telegraph: 'It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming. I’ve 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. More importantly, play some four-day cricket for Notts, and try to find that form I had last summer.'
Under IPL rules, players who withdraw after being signed at auction for non-injury reasons face a three-season ban. Duckett follows Harry Brook, who similarly pulled out of a 2025 Delhi deal to prioritise his England career. Duckett struggled in the Ashes, scoring a highest of 42 across five Tests, and also faced scrutiny after a video of him drunk during a mid-tour break was published online before the Boxing Day Test.
Duckett apologised for the incident, saying: 'I am sorry for that incident, it was not professional and shouldn’t have happened. There is no hiding away from it.' Despite the Ashes disappointment, Duckett has averaged 42 with six centuries since his Test return in 2022. Meanwhile, England's director of cricket Rob Key is seeking to reconnect with first-class counties, a move welcomed by players like Jonny Bairstow, who said: 'The proof is in the pudding, so we will wait and see.'
