England opener Ben Duckett has withdrawn from IPL 2026, choosing to prioritise his England career — and in doing so, has triggered a two-year ban that keeps him out of the IPL auction until 2029.
It’s a decision that lands at an awkward time for Delhi Capitals. The franchise had picked up Duckett for INR 2 crore at last year’s mega auction, and now, just days before the tournament opens on March 28 in Bengaluru, they’ve lost their overseas opener at the last minute. Duckett becomes the second England player after white-ball captain Harry Brook to pull out post-auction and cop the two-year ban. Delhi aren’t completely without cover Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka is expected to fill the opening slot.
Duckett broke his silence on Instagram, and the post read less like a press release and more like someone genuinely wrestling with the call.
“I have made the extremely difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL. I have given this a lot of thought, and it has not been an easy choice. Representing England is something I have dreamed of since I was a child, and I want to give everything I can to English cricket. To do that, I need to ensure I am in the best possible place physically and mentally ahead of the summer,” he wrote.
He also apologised directly to the Delhi franchise and its fans: “I would like to sincerely apologise to everyone at Delhi. I was genuinely very excited about the opportunity to represent the franchise, and I fully appreciate the time and planning that goes into building a squad. I am sorry for any disruption my decision may cause. I would also like to apologise to all the fans as I know how much it means to everyone in Delhi.”
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The numbers don’t paint the prettiest picture heading into this withdrawal. Duckett’s last Test assignment was the Ashes in Australia, where he scored 202 runs across 10 innings at an average of 20.20. In ODIs, he played three games against Sri Lanka before the T20 World Cup 108 runs, with a fifty (62) in the first match. His last England appearance came in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, where he was dismissed for a duck. He hasn’t played for England since.
From here, Duckett returns to county cricket. Nottinghamshire’s County Championship campaign begins April 3, and a strong run there is likely his best route back into England’s summer plans — starting with a home Test series against New Zealand.