Ben Duckett pulls out of IPL 2026 to save international career, set to face 2-year ban

Star England batter Ben Duckett has pulled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) to focus on elongating his international career. Duckett was set to make his IPL debut in the upcoming season for Delhi Capitals (DC) after being bought for Rs 2 Crore by the franchise at the mini auction.

However, after enduring poor form across formats since September 2025-- during which he was a part of England’s 1-4 loss in the Ashes in Australia and warmed the bench at the T20 World Cup 2026 -- Duckett has decided to work on his game to safeguard his future in the England cricket team.

As a result, he’s all set to face a two-year ban from the IPL as per the tournament's player regulations for the 2025-27 seasons for pulling out after being sold at the auction. He will join his compatriot Harry Brook in the ignominious list, who's also serving a two-year ban from the tournament after withdrawing from the 2025 edition, after being bought by Delhi Capitals at the mega auction.

Reflecting on his decision, Duckett expressed his apologies to the DC management and hailed IPL as the best competition in the world.

“It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming. I felt it was going to be a great opportunity when I put myself in the auction, and for a franchise like Delhi to pick me up was amazing. I was buzzing. It’s the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience,” Duckett told Telegraph Sport.

The England opener expressed his desire to play in the IPL and represent Delhi sometime in the future.

“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.

Duckett further stressed his commitment to play all three formats for England and hoped that his decision would be a pivotal moment in his career.

“I’m desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can. This is a decision I hope I will look back on in 10 years and see as a pivotal moment in my career, and the right decision. It will be doing everything I can to be ready for England,” Duckett said.

DC awaiting update on Mitchell Starc's availability

Set to face a two-year ban from the tournament after pulling out, Duckett will now be eligible to put his name in the IPL 2029 auction. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals are also awaiting an update on fast bowler Mitchell Starc’s availability ahead of the season. DC remain unsure of his joining date as Cricket Australia (CA) is yet to provide a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the fast bowler.

The Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) is all set to begin on March 28 with the opening fixture between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals will kickstart their season on April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.