Delhi Capitals star batter Ben Duckett has decided to withdraw from IPL 2026 to focus on his international career.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Duckett confirmed he will skip the IPL 2026 season.
“It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming,” he tells Telegraph Sport“.
“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,” he added.
Because of this, he is expected to face a two-year ban, as BCCI rules state that overseas players who pull out after being picked in the auction without a valid reason, such as injury, can be banned for two years.
Similarly, last season, Harry Brook was with Delhi Capitals but withdrew due to personal reasons.
Duckett was picked by Delhi Capitals for INR 2 crore in the IPL 2026 auction.
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Duckett’s withdrawal gives an opportunity for either Pathum Nissanka or Prithvi Shaw to open alongside KL Rahul in Delhi Capitals’ batting lineup for the upcoming season.
Recently, Duckett was part of England’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad but did not play any matches as England reached the semi-finals. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler opened the innings in the tournament and were chosen ahead of Duckett in the team’s pecking order.
Earlier, during The Ashes, he struggled with the bat, scoring just 202 runs in 10 innings at an average of 20.20, finishing the series without a single fifty.
With only four days to go, DC will have to quickly find a replacement. They will begin their campaign on April 1 with a match against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 1 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Lucknow (Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium) | 7:30 PM |
| April 4 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Delhi (Arun Jaitley Stadium) | 3:30 PM |
| April 8 | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Delhi (Arun Jaitley Stadium) | 7:30 PM |
| April 11 | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | Chennai (MA Chidambaram Stadium) | 7:30 PM |
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