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Delhi Capitals Sign Rehan Ahmed as Ben Duckett's IPL 2026 Replacement

Delhi Capitals have signed England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed as a replacement for Ben Duckett for the remainder of IPL 2026. Rehan Ahmed, a 21-year-old leg-spinner, has been acquired for INR 75 lakh and has 49 international wickets across formats. Duckett withdrew from his maiden IPL stint to focus on England commitments after a challenging Ashes tour. The Capitals, currently fifth in the points table with three wins and three losses, will next face Punjab Kings.

Key Points: Delhi Capitals Sign Rehan Ahmed for IPL 2026

  • Delhi Capitals sign Rehan Ahmed as Ben Duckett's replacement
  • Rehan Ahmed bought for INR 75 lakh
  • Duckett withdrew to focus on England commitments
  • Capitals currently 5th in points table with 3 wins, 3 losses
2 min read

IPL 2026: Delhi Capitals announce Rehan Ahmed as Ben Duckett's replacement

Delhi Capitals sign England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed for INR 75 lakh as Ben Duckett's replacement in IPL 2026. Team currently 5th in points table.

"Rehan has been roped in for a fee of INR 75 lakh - Official IPL media advisory"

New Delhi, April 23

Delhi Capitals have signed England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed as a replacement for his compatriot Ben Duckett for the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2026 season.

According to an official IPL media advisory, Rehan has been roped in for a fee of INR 75 lakh. The 21-year-old right-arm leg-spinner has represented England in all three formats, featuring in five Tests, nine ODIs, and 13 T20Is, and has taken a total of 49 international wickets so far.

Duckett had withdrawn from what would have been his maiden IPL stint just before the start of the tournament in order to focus on his England commitments following a challenging Ashes tour. The Capitals did not name an immediate replacement at the time, instead opting to reshuffle their batting order, with Pathum Nissanka opening alongside KL Rahul.

Rehan, who initially gained attention for his wrist-spin bowling, has also made significant progress with the bat. Playing for Leicestershire, he enjoyed an impressive 2025 County Championship campaign, scoring 760 runs at an average of 50.66, including five centuries, while also picking up 23 wickets at an average of 19.

He made waves earlier this year during the 2026 T20 World Cup for breaking crucial partnerships. Rehan has represented England in 13 T20Is, picking up 15 wickets. He also has experience in playing other global tournaments like the BBL and The Hundred.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Capitals have had a mixed start in IPL 2026. Right now, they have won three games and lost three, placing them fifth in the points table. New stars like Sameer Rizvi have played some great innings, and KL Rahul is also scoring well. However, the team has struggled in very close games, losing a match against the Gujarat Titans by just one run. They recently lost the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 55 runs.

The Axar Patel-led side will next face table toppers Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Honestly, why do teams keep signing English players who might leave mid-season for international duty? Duckett did that, and now we're getting a replacement who could do the same. We need players who are committed to the full IPL season, not just a few matches. 🤷‍♀️
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Arjun K
Rehan Ahmed is a proper talent – saw him in the BBL and he's got good variations. But Delhi's bigger problem is their bowling attack, not batting. Axar needs to step up as captain and get more from the bowlers in those close games. Losing by 1 run was just heartbreaking! 😤
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Michael C
From an England fan's perspective, it's great that Rehan gets this exposure. He's a rising star and the IPL will only accelerate his development. But I worry about the workload – he's played a lot of cricket recently. Hope Delhi manages him well!
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Siddhartha F
Rehan Ahmed over someone like a domestic Indian spinner? Seems like another case of foreign players getting precedence. We have good young spinners in India who could have been given a chance for less money. Just my two paisa. 😕
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Ravi K
Sameer Rizvi and KL Rahul are in good form, but Delhi needs to win the close ones. Against Punjab Kings on Saturday, they'll need a complete team effort. If Rehan can chip in with both bat and ball, he might just be the X-factor they need. Chalo Delhi! 💪

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