England opener Ben Duckett has taken the bold decision to withdraw from the Indian Premier League, prioritising his international career with the England Cricket Team after what he described as a “bruising winter”.
In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Duckett confirmed that he had informed Delhi Capitals he would not honour his contract this season — a move that could see him banned from the IPL until 2029. Despite the financial implications, the 31-year-old insists the decision was necessary to revive his England career.
“Growing up as a kid, I dreamt of playing cricket for England, and that was it,” Duckett said. “It was a very difficult decision… I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming. It’s the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience. But I’ve thought a lot about this, and know it’s the right decision for my career.”
Duckett endured a challenging Ashes campaign, scoring 221 runs at an average of just over 20, and then found himself on the sidelines during the T20 World Cup. Reflecting on the winter, he admitted expectations had not matched reality.
“Everything I had done for four years was building to that moment,” he said. “This could have been the best 12 months of my life… but after that? It couldn’t really have gone much worse. Not playing in the World Cup, and being on the sidelines in India after such a tough Ashes series was a struggle for me. But it’s lit a massive fire in my belly moving forward.”
Instead of heading to India, Duckett will remain in England, spend time with his family, and focus on county cricket with Nottinghamshire under coach Peter Moores. He believes returning to familiar surroundings will help him rediscover the form that made him one of England’s most consistent Test batters.
“I’ve spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do… is to be here right now, refreshing my mind and body,” he said. “My journey into the Test team has come from county cricket. I know how valuable that is for me, scoring runs in the Championship.”
Duckett also addressed the off-field controversy during the Ashes, when footage of him drinking in Noosa surfaced online. He admitted the incident was “unprofessional” and apologised for his actions.
“I am sorry for that incident, it was not professional and shouldn’t have happened. There is no hiding away from it,” he said, adding that the experience was a learning curve.
Looking ahead, Duckett hopes his decision to sacrifice the IPL opportunity will prove pivotal.
“I’m desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can,” he said. “This is a decision I hope I will look back on in 10 years and see as a pivotal moment in my career.”
— With credit to Will Macpherson, Deputy Cricket Correspondent, The Telegraph.
