Ben Duckett has pulled out of his deal to play for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming IPL in a bid to rediscover his Test form for the start of the international summer.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Duckett apologised to Delhi Capitals for pulling out of his deal, which could see him banned from the IPL until the 2029 edition. “I don’t know if I’m potentially saying goodbye to the IPL having never played in it,” said Duckett. “With the age I am now [31], it might be tough for me, but I hope one day I’m able to represent Delhi. But I’ve thought a lot about this, and know it’s the right decision for my career.”
Instead, Duckett will spend the early part of the English domestic summer at Nottinghamshire, working with head coach Peter Moores and playing in the opening rounds of the County Championship in a bid to re-find his Test form. Duckett had a bruising winter in Australia, where he averaged 20.20 from 10 innings and was one of the centres of the allegations around a drinking culture in the England squad, after a video of him intoxicated during their mid-series break in Noosa surfaced on social media. While he was picked for England's T20 World Cup campaign, he didn't play a match.
“Not playing in the World Cup, and being on the sidelines in India after such a tough Ashes series was a struggle for me," said Duckett. "But it’s lit a massive fire in my belly moving forward. I don’t know where I stand, or what is to come.”
Duckett: 'I’m desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can'
Duckett will be a part of Nottinghamshire's squad as they start their bid to defend their County Championship title. He only played one match during their 2025 campaign, but could play all six rounds for them before England's first Test of the summer if he retained his opening spot.
“I’ve made this decision on my own accord,” said Duckett. “I’ve spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body. More importantly, play some four-day cricket for Notts, and try to find that form I had last summer.
“We all have different journeys, but my journey into the Test team has come from county cricket. I know how valuable that is for me, scoring runs in the Championship and the confidence that gives me going into the rest of the summer.
“I could have gone to the IPL, spent time on the sidelines, then rushed back into the Test summer. I wouldn’t have time to process the winter, learn from mistakes, and go back to the drawing board with Notts.”
Duckett's announcement comes the day after ECB chief executive and men's managing director Rob Key held a press conference outlining the key findings of the board's post-Ashes review. Key suggested that County Championship performance could hold more sway over selection this summer than it previously has under his tenure. He admitted that England had prioritised a settled side over the winter, which created“a lack of consequence really for substandard performance”.
“I’m desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can,” said Duckett. “This is a decision I hope I will look back on in 10 years and see as a pivotal moment in my career, and the right decision. It will being doing everything I can to be ready for England.”
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