England batsman Ben Duckett has withdrawn from the 2026 Indian Premier League and informed Delhi Capitals of his decision on Tuesday.Duckett, who was bought for Rs 2 crore in the auction, was vying to open the batting alongside KL Rahul. However, he has decided not to participate in the season.His withdrawal could mean a ban until the 2029 edition. This would mean that he cannot participate in the next two player auctions and will not be eligible to play in the IPL 2027 and 2028.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Duckett explained his decision.“I have made the extremely difficult decision to retire from the IPL. I have given it 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 so, I need to ensure I am in the best possible place physically and mentally ahead of the summer,” he wrote.“I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone in Delhi. I was truly very excited about the opportunity to represent the franchise and I fully appreciate the time and planning that goes into building a team. I regret any disruption my decision may cause. I would also like to apologize to all the fans as I know how much it means to everyone in Delhi.”The decision comes after Duckett’s recent Ashes campaign, where he scored 202 runs in 10 innings at an average of 20.20.