England Star Ben Duckett Pulls Out Of IPL 2026, Set To Face Strict Punishment: Report

England cricket group batter Ben Duckett has knowledgeable Delhi Capitals that he will likely be withdrawing from IPL 2026, based on a report by The Telegraph. Duckett was purchased for Rs 2 crore by Delhi Capitals within the public sale and was being thought of to be one of many choices to open the batting together with KL Rahul. However, the report claimed that he won’t be taking part in this season and in consequence, the IPL authorities can hand him a ban till the 2029 version. “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 felt it was going to be an important alternative once I put myself within the public sale, and for a franchise like Delhi to select me up was wonderful. I used to be buzzing. It’s one of the best competitors on this planet with one of the best gamers, and would have been an incredible expertise.”

“I don’t know if I’m potentially saying goodbye to the IPL, having never played in it. With the age I am now, 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.

Duckett said that the decision to not play in the IPL was a result of his poor run of form in the winter. The left-handed batter scored 221 runs at an average of 20.2 in the Ashes series. He was part of the T20 World Cup 2026 squad but did not play a single game in the competition.

“Everything I had done for four years was building to that moment,” he said.

“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.”