Ben Duckett Out of IPL

Ben Duckett Follows Harry Brook's Path, Set to Face IPL Ban

Sportsdunia Desk

Modified - Mar 24, 2026, 02:04 PM

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is just days away as the first match of the 19th edition is set to be played on March 28 between the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

The contest will take place at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, one of the smallest cricket stadiums in India. Meanwhile, ahead of the upcoming season, Delhi Capitals have suffered a major blow as their star brand-new addition Ben Duckett has decided to pull out of the league.

England Opener Ben Duckett Out of IPL

Delhi Capitals will play their tournament opener against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1, and ahead of the league, Duckett has informed the franchise that he's withdrawing from the tournament.

By doing this, he will join his England captain Harry Brook in the IPL banned players list, who pulled out of the league after registering themselves in the auction. This move can result in Ben Duckett IPL ban. The opener was signed by DC during the IPL 2026 mini auction for INR 2 crore.

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

Why Did Ben Duckett Pull Out of IPL 2026?

Ben Duckett, one of the best openers in the world, revealed the reason behind the decision. He mentioned that it was because of his poor run of form in the winter, where he could only score 221 runs at an average of 20.2 in the recently concluded Ashes series in Australia. Interestingly, Duckett was also a part of England's squad in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 but didn't get to play a single match.

“Everything I had done for four years was building to that moment. And this could have been the best 12 months of my life. I got married in October, then hoped to win the Ashes down under, play a World Cup and win that. That was my vision at the start of the winter. The getting married bit is there, and I'm so happy about that! But after that? It couldn't really have gone much worse," he said.

With this development, Duckett has joined Brook as the second English batter to pull out of the league at the last moment. The talented left-hander could have been a great addition to Delhi Capitals at the top order but they will have to look at some other plans now.