New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): England batter Ben Duckett has withdrawn from his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 contract with Delhi Capitals (DC) to ensure that he is 'in best possible place physically and mentally' ahead of England's home summer schedule.

Duckett, who has never played in the IPL, was bought for 2 crore at IPL 2026 auction in December last year. He has now decided to withdraw from the tournament and will instead prepare for England's home summer, which includes three Tests against New Zealand in June and then three Tests against Pakistan in August-September. England are also going to host India for five T20Is and three ODIs in July.

Post on his Instagram story, Ben Duckett said he made the difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL to focus on being physically and mentally ready to give his best for England's home summer fixtures.

'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,' he said.

Ben Duckett apologised to Delhi Capitals and their fans for any disruption caused by his withdrawal, expressing regret for not being able to represent the franchise despite his excitement for the opportunity.

'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 said. (ANI)