Ben Duckett triggers 2-year ban policy after pulling out of IPL 2026 to prioritise England Cricket

England opener Ben Duckett has triggered a two-year IPL ban clause after pulling out of the upcoming season to prioritise England Cricket. In the latest development surrounding IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, their overseas recruitment (Duckett) has decided against featuring in his maiden IPL edition just days before the tournament gets underway on March 28 in Bengaluru. Duckett has become the second Englishman, after their white-ball captain Harry Brook, to withdraw his name from an IPL season after being picked at the auction, triggering a two-year ban, which restricts him from entering the IPL auction until 2029.

Delhi purchased Duckett for INR 2 crore at last year’s mega auction, and with him pulling out at the last minute, the franchise has another foreign opener from Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka, to play at the top of the order at the upcoming season.

Posting on his Instagram stories, Duckett revealed the real reason behind ditching his IPL franchise, Delhi Capitals.

"I have made the extremely difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL. I have given this a lot of thought, and it has not been an easy choice. Representing England is something I have dreamed of since I was a child, and I want to give everything I can to English cricket. To do that, I need to ensure I am in the best possible place physically and mentally ahead of the summer," Duckett wrote on his Instagram account.

"I would like to sincerely apologise to everyone at Delhi. I was genuinely very excited about the opportunity to represent the franchise, and I fully appreciate the time and planning that goes into building a squad. I am sorry for any disruption my decision may cause. I would also like to apologise to all the fans as I know how much it means to everyone in Delhi."

Meanwhile, Duckett’s lead-up to IPL 2026 wasn’t as fruitful as one would think. Having last featured for England in Tests in the away Ashes in Australia, the left-hander scored just over 200 runs (202) in 10 outings, averaging a mere 20.20. Even in white-ball cricket, Duckett’s last assignment was the away ODI series against Sri Lanka, just before the T20 World Cup, where he amassed 108 runs in three One-Dayers, including a fifty (62) in the opener.

In his last game for England, which was the first T20I against Sri Lanka, Duckett got out on duck, and hasn’t worn the English jersey since. He, however, will now remain available for selection for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship, which starts April 3, before harbouring hopes of getting picked for the home summer, starting with a Test series against New Zealand.