Ben Duckett faces two-year IPL ban after late withdrawal from Delhi Capitals squad

English opener Ben Duckett has pulled out from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 to prioritise on his international career, and he now faces a two-year-long ban from the cash-rich league.

Duckett had a poor Ashes, aggregating merely 202 runs, and was still picked for ₹2 crore by the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the recent mini-auction.

As per the new IPL rules, players who make themselves unavailable before the start of a season are prohibited from the IPL player auction for two campaigns.

“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,” Duckett wrote on Instagram.

“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.

“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 the team means to everyone in Delhi.”

The IPL runs from March 28 to May 31.

(With PTI inputs)

First Published: 

Mar 25, 2026 6:15 PM

IST