English opener Ben Duckett announced on Tuesday that he has pulled out of IPL 2026. Duckett was picked by Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore in the auction.
Ben Duckett’s late withdrawal from the Indian Premier League 2026 could come at a significant cost, with the England batter facing a potential two-season ban under league rules.
Duckett had been signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore. However, his decision to pull out after the auction phase places him in the category of players who withdraw without an injury replacement clause, triggering disciplinary provisions.
As per existing IPL regulations, such a withdrawal can lead to a ban from participating in the next two seasons. If enforced, Duckett would not only miss IPL 2026 but would also be barred from entering the player auctions for IPL 2027 and 2028, effectively keeping him out of the league until 2029.
Duckett’s last-minute withdrawal is expected to earn him a two-year ban from the IPL, after franchises voted last year to penalise overseas players who pull out of their contracts at short notice. Duckett’s England team-mate Harry Brook is serving a similar ban after withdrawing from his deal, also with DC, shortly before the start of the 2025 season.
Duckett’s decision led to strong reactions on social media, many of them angry with the English player for staging such a last-minute pull-out before an IPL season.
Questioning the timing of the decision, one user wrote on X: “He realized about national commitments, just 4 days before IPL.”
“I don’t understand this representing England and to manage workload didn’t come to his mind before registering for the auction? It’s just cause he got sold at his base price he pulled out he went for a higher amount, he would’ve showed up 1 week ago,” wrote another.
For Duckett, the impact is both financial and professional. Missing multiple IPL cycles means losing access to one of the highest-paying T20 leagues, reduced exposure in franchise cricket, and fewer opportunities to build a global T20 profile.
In a statement, Duckett said the call was made with a focus on his commitments with England and managing his physical and mental workload ahead of the international season.
“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.
“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.”
