NOTTINGHAMSHIRE — Ben Duckett has withdrawn from the forthcoming Indian Premier League in an attempt to hold on to his place in the England team. The 31-year-old cricketer will play for Nottinghamshire in the early rounds of the County Championship instead.

Delhi Capitals signed Duckett in the December auction for £159,000, but he has chosen to focus on domestic cricket to regain his form. "I have given this a lot of thought, and it has not been an easy choice. 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. [I want to] play some four-day cricket for Notts, and try to find that form I had [early on] last summer," Duckett said.

The England batsman struggled with the bat towards the end of last summer and hit just one half-century in 16 innings across all formats this winter. During the Ashes tour, he made 202 runs in 10 Test innings at an average of 20.20 with a top score of 42.

"I am desperate to play all three formats for England for as long as I can and will be doing everything to be ready for the international summer," Duckett said. "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."

Duckett was named in England's squad for the T20 World Cup that followed the Ashes but did not play in the tournament. "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," he said.

Players who pull out of the IPL at short notice will be banned from taking part in the following two seasons under a rule introduced last season. Duckett's withdrawal means he is likely to face a suspension from the IPL until after 2029 and a loss of earnings.

Mick Newell, director of cricket at Nottinghamshire, expressed support for Duckett's decision. "We are supportive and fully understanding of Ben's decision, which we know he did not make lightly. We are obviously very pleased to see him become unexpectedly available for us in the early part of the 2026 season, and we will continue to give him our full support in his career. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I look forward to seeing him in Nottinghamshire whites again very soon," Newell said.