Harry Brook has for the second year running opted out of his IPL deal with Delhi Capitals, which leaves him in a probable position to be banned from the competitions for two seasons.
As per Espncricinfo it has been told that ECB officials last week conveyed Brook’s decision to withdraw to the BCCI, who passed word along to DC, who had bought Brook at the IPL mega auction last November for INR 6.25 crore (£590,000).
There is no official IPL line that’s been put out yet, although Brook has posted on social media* that he needs “time to recharge after the busiest period in my career to date.” Amongst the leading names being considered for Jos Buttler’s replacement as England’s white-ball captain after the team’s ouster at the group stage of the Champions Trophy, workload management could also be a reason for withdrawal in Brook’s case as he is an all-formats player with 18 months left on his ECB central contract. The ECB has been contacted for a comment.
“I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL,” Brook wrote on X. “I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters.
“I love cricket. Ever since I was a young boy I have dreamt of playing for my country and I am extremely thankful to have the opportunity to play the game I love at this level.
“I have required time to consider this decision carefully with the assistance of people whom I trust. This is really important time for English cricket, and I want to put all my efforts into preparing for the upcoming series. In order to do this, I will need to take some time to recharge after the busiest block of my career so far. I understand that not everybody might agree with this, and I do not expect them to, but I have to do what I feel is right and this is to focus on my country. I am forever thankful for the opportunities that I have been afforded and for the support I have received.”
This withdrawal opens him up to a possible two-year ban from the IPL. The new rule holds sway from the auction for the year 2025 onwards and is the result of inputs from all 10 franchises, who have expressed annoyance over a recurring history of foreign players pulling out at the last minute.
In its note to the franchises last September, the IPL stated: “Any [overseas] player who registers for [an] auction and after getting picked at the auction makes himself un-available before the start of the season shall be banned from participating in the IPL/IPL auction for two seasons.”
The only exception to this rule, as per the governing council, would be in case of an injury/medical condition, which would have to be verified by the [player’s] home board”.
This is the second year in a row Brook has withdrawn just before the impending start of the IPL season; both times from the Capitals’ obligations. Last March, Brook informed the Capitals some 10 days before their first match of the season that he would withdraw from IPL 2024 to be with his family after the death of his grandmother. That same bereavement had already caused him to withdraw from England’s Test tour of India in February.
The IPL 2025 is set to start on March 22, and Capitals will play their first match against Lucknow Super Giants on March 24 in Visakhapatnam. Besides this, the Capitals haven’t announced their captain, besides having to replace Brook.
Brook has turned out for only one IPL season till date. That was during the 2023 season which was abysmal for the young talent from the Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 11 games, he scored 190 runs at 22.11, but most of those came when he smashed a brilliant 100 not out from 55 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.
