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Ben Duckett Withdraws from IPL 2026, Prioritizes England's Home Summer

England batter Ben Duckett has withdrawn from his IPL 2026 contract with the Delhi Capitals. He was bought for ₹2 crore in the auction but has never played in the tournament. Duckett stated he made the difficult decision to prioritize his physical and mental readiness for England's upcoming home fixtures. He apologized to the Delhi Capitals franchise and its fans for the disruption caused by his withdrawal.

Key Points: Ben Duckett Withdraws from IPL 2026 for England Duty

  • Withdraws from IPL 2026
  • Bought for ₹2 crore
  • Focus on England summer
  • Apologises to Delhi Capitals
  • Never played in IPL before
2 min read

Ben Duckett pulls out of IPL 2026, apologises to Delhi Capitals and fans

England's Ben Duckett pulls out of IPL 2026 with Delhi Capitals to focus on being physically and mentally ready for England's packed home summer schedule.

"I need to ensure I am in the best possible place physically and mentally ahead of the summer. - Ben Duckett"

New Delhi, March 24

England batter Ben Duckett has withdrawn from his Indian Premier League 2026 contract with Delhi Capitals to ensure that he is "in best possible place physically and mentally" ahead of England's home summer schedule.

Duckett, who has never played in the IPL, was bought for ₹2 crore at IPL 2026 auction in December last year. He has now decided to withdraw from the tournament and will instead prepare for England's home summer, which includes three Tests against New Zealand in June and then three Tests against Pakistan in August-September. England are also going to host India for five T20Is and three ODIs in July.

Post on his Instagram story, Ben Duckett said he made the difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL to focus on being physically and mentally ready to give his best for England's home summer fixtures.

"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 said.

Ben Duckett apologised to Delhi Capitals and their fans for any disruption caused by his withdrawal, expressing regret for not being able to represent the franchise despite his excitement for the opportunity.

"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," Duckett said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
It's a bit disappointing for DC fans, but mental health is important. The schedule is crazy for these players. Better he pulls out now than gets injured or burnt out mid-tournament.
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Arjun K
₹2 crore down the drain for DC! This is why franchises need to be careful with overseas players who haven't proven themselves in IPL conditions. Should focus on players who are fully committed.
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Priya S
Good on him for prioritising his well-being. The pressure in IPL is next level, especially for a first-timer. Maybe he'll come another year when he's more prepared. All the best to him for the English summer!
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Vikram M
Honestly, as a Delhi fan, I'm not too upset. We have a strong scouting system. This opens up a slot for a hungry young Indian player or another overseas star. Every cloud has a silver lining! 💙
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Karthik V
While I respect his decision, it does feel a bit like he used the IPL auction for a payday and then backed out. The timing after the auction is inconvenient for the franchise. The BCCI should have stricter contracts for such withdrawals.

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