England opener Ben Duckett has pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. His decision came soon after it was confirmed that KL Rahul will open the batting for Delhi Capitals. The tournament is set to begin on March 28.
Duckett said that he wants to focus on his international career. He also admitted that he is not in good form at the moment. The left-handed batter recently played in the Ashes series in Australia. However, he struggled badly with the bat. Duckett scored only 202 runs in 10 innings. His average was just 20.2. England lost the series 4-1.
England will begin their home summer in June. They will face New Zealand in a Test series. Duckett now wants to prepare well and regain his form before that important series.
Ben Duckett apologises to Delhi Capitals and fans
Ben Duckett shared his decision on social media on March 24. He expressed regret over missing the IPL opportunity.
“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 in a post 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,” Duckett added.
Delhi Capitals have not yet named a replacement. An official announcement is expected soon. The team will now look to adjust their squad before the new season begins.
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