England batsman Ben Duckett has opted to withdraw from the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) just days before the tournament commences in order to prioritize his international cricket career. This decision could potentially result in Duckett facing a two-season suspension from the league.
The 31-year-old, who delivered a performance of 202 runs at an average of 20.20 during the Ashes series, had been acquired by Delhi Capitals for a sum of 20 million rupees ($213,167) at the auction.
As per IPL regulations, any player who enrolls for the auction, gets selected by a franchise, and subsequently makes themselves unavailable prior to the tournament’s commencement may be ineligible to participate in the league as well as the player auction for the ensuing two seasons.
Expressing his sentiments on Instagram, Duckett stated, “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 further extended his apologies to Delhi Capitals, acknowledging the opportunity he had to represent the franchise and recognizing the effort involved in squad building. He also expressed regret for any inconvenience his decision may have caused to the team and their fans in Delhi.
The Indian Premier League is scheduled to run from March 28 to May 31.
