Will Jake Fraser-McGurk Replace Ben Duckett in DC Squad 2026?

Just ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will begin on March 28, Delhi Capitals (DC) faced a massive blow. England opener Ben Duckett pulled out of the league, disrupting the balance of the side with less than one week away from the league. Ben Duckett opted out of the IPL 2026 to prolong his England career. He mentioned that it was a tough decision, but he is focused on giving his all for England.

This now means that the Delhi Capitals will have to look at the potential replacement before the league begins. One of the names that is emerging as the prime Ben Duckett replacement IPL 2026 is Jake Fraser-McGurk. Although, there is no official confirmation, the Australian opener’s name has been circulating all over social media.

Jake Fraser-McGurk IPL 2026 Comeback Loading?

Jake Fraser-McGurk was part of the IPL 2026 auction, but he didn’t find any bidders. However, there are chances that he might be back in the IPL and that too in DC colors - a team which he represented for two years in the league previously. Jake Fraser-McGurk, after going unsold in the IPL, signed a deal in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). However, he decided to pull out of the league, which made fans speculate that he would be coming to IPL.

Quite a few players pulled this trick after being signed as replacement by IPL franchises, they opted out of PSL. The same might be the case with Jake Fraser-McGurk, who pulled out of the PSL just before Ben Duckett withdrew from the Indian league. Considering that, Jake Fraser-McGurk has an experienced of playing in IPL, the management might trust him to bring him into the DC squad 2026. The Australian batter has played 15 games in the league and has slammed 385 runs at a strike rate of around 200 and was counted among the most dangerous batsman in IPL.

DC Likely to Open with KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw

Even if DC signs Jake Fraser-McGurk, there are chances that he will have to warm the bench. Recently Axar Patel, during the press-conference, mentioned that KL Rahul will be opening the innings. Not only this, but some reports also suggested that DC are looking at Prithvi Shaw as the second opener for the IPL 2026. The duo has been battling hard in the nets and would be keen to help their team end the title drought. Coming to DC, they will open their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1.