Ben Duckett has withdrawn from his INR 2 crore (£160,000) contract with Delhi Capitals, choosing instead to start the season with Nottinghamshire in the County Championship. The 31-year-old hopes a stretch of first-class cricket, and a spell at home, will revive a Test career that stalled during a lean Ashes campaign.
Initial decision, swift reversal
Duckett put himself into December’s IPL auction believing a change of scene might sharpen his white-ball skills. Delhi duly picked him up, but by March he had decided the timing was wrong. The left-hander was not guaranteed a place in DC’s first XI – Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka is also vying for one of the overseas berths – and he worried the competition’s late-night schedule would leave little room to reflect on a difficult winter.
“It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming,” he told the Telegraph. “I felt it was going to be a great opportunity when I put myself in the auction, and for a franchise like Delhi to pick me up was amazing. I was buzzing. It’s the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience.”
Delhi’s loss, Notts’ gain
By opting out so close to the start, Duckett is expected to trigger the two-year IPL ban introduced last season for late withdrawals. England team-mate Harry Brook is already serving an identical suspension after pulling out of the 2025 tournament, also with Delhi. The sanction effectively ends Duckett’s short-term prospects in the league. “I don’t know if I’m potentially saying goodbye to the IPL, having never played in it. 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.”
Form slide forces rethink
Last summer Duckett was being talked up as one of the most adaptable openers in world cricket. Since then he has produced only one fifty in 28 innings across formats, managing 202 runs in ten outings during England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat. He spent the T20 World Cup as a reserve, barely leaving the bench. Those numbers prompted a frank self-assessment.
“I’ve made this decision on my own accord,” he explained. “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.”
Training plan
Duckett will link up with Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores and work closely with ECB strength-and-conditioning coach Peter Sim. The stated aim is to be “in the best shape of my life” for June’s three-Test series against New Zealand. County pitches in April can be bowler-friendly, yet they also provide extended time in the middle – something the batter has lacked in recent months.
Likely England implications
Selection chief Luke Wright has repeatedly stressed that domestic form still matters. A productive April and May at Trent Bridge would put Duckett back in the conversation for that New Zealand series, especially with questions over England’s top order persisting after the Ashes.
Balancing formats
“I’m desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can,” Duckett added. In an era when many players prioritise franchise deals, his choice to dodge the IPL – and accept a potential ban – underlines how keen he is to extend his Test career.
Measured gamble
The financial hit is clear, and the two-year suspension shuts the door on an immediate IPL return. Yet a successful red-ball stint for Nottinghamshire could prove far more valuable. If he regains touch and secures a place against New Zealand, the decision will look shrewd. Should the runs stay away, it may be viewed less kindly. For now, Duckett is betting that time in county whites, rather than a month in IPL blues, offers the best path back to England’s top order.
