IPL 2026 | Ben Duckett withdraws from Delhi Capitals

London: Ben Duckett has decided to pull out of his IPL 2026 stint with Delhi Capitals, and the England opener now faces a two-year ban from the league and auction as per the amended rules.

Duckett was roped in by the Capitals for Rs 2 crore in last year's auction, but he now wants to spend time at home and play red-ball cricket, following a forgettable run in the Ashes and being on the sidelines for the recent T20 World Cup.

"It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming,” Duckett told Telegraph Sport.

“I felt it was going to be a great opportunity when I put myself in the auction, and for a franchise like Delhi to pick me up was amazing. I was buzzing. It’s the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience," he added.

As per the rules tweaked ahead of IPL 2025, overseas players who pull out of the league after being picked in the auction will face a two-year ban if they do not have a legitimate reason for doing so.

The only exception, as per the IPL Governing Council, is for any injury or a medical condition which needs to be confirmed by the player’s home board.

“I don’t know if I’m potentially saying goodbye to the IPL, having never played in it. With the age I am now (31), it might be tough for me, but I hope one day I’m able to represent Delhi. But I’ve thought a lot about this, and know it’s the right decision for my career,” Duckett said.

The left-handed opener featured in all the five Ashes Tests but endured a poor run, scoring 202 runs in 10 outings at 20.20 without even a fifty.

Duckett said, “I’ve made this decision on my own accord. I’ve spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body.

"We all have different journeys, but my journey into the Test team has come from County cricket. I know how valuable that is for me, scoring runs in the Championship and the confidence that gives me going into the rest of the summer." Duckett he did not want to rush back to England's Test season, beginning in June.

“I could have gone to the IPL, spent time on the sidelines, then rushed back into the Test summer. I wouldn't have time to process the winter (Ashes), learn from mistakes, and go back to the drawing board with Notts,” added Duckett, who will be working with Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores.

On his part, Duckett apologised for the excessive drinking incident in Noosa during a mid-Ashes break.

“I am sorry for that incident, it was not professional and shouldn’t have happened. There is no hiding away from it," he said.

“My expectations were more (runs) than what I managed (in Ashes), but facing Starc with the new ball at 90mph every innings, was extremely tough work. No one is more frustrated with how I went than me,” Duckett said.