Harry Brook has withdrawn from his Delhi Capitals IPL contract for the second year in a row, which could lead to a two-year suspension from the tournament. This late decision is causing speculation about the England white-ball captaincy.
ESPNcricinfo has learned that Brook’s withdrawal was communicated by ECB officials to the BCCI last week, and then to Delhi Capitals. Delhi Capitals had purchased Brook for INR 6.25 crore at the IPL mega auction last November.
There has been no official statement on this matter from the IPL, and Brook himself has not publicly given a reason for opting out. However, he is considered a leading candidate to succeed Jos Buttler as England’s white-ball captain after their early exit from the Champions Trophy. As a player involved in all formats of the game with 18 months remaining on his ECB central contract, managing his workload could be a reason for his withdrawal. The ECB has been asked for their comment.
Regardless, this decision makes him susceptible to a two-year ban from the IPL. This new rule was introduced before the 2025 auction due to feedback from all ten franchises, who were frustrated by players withdrawing late after being selected.
Harry Brook played one IPL season for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2023. • Associated Press
In a memo to franchises last September, the IPL stated that any overseas player who registers for auction and then withdraws after being picked, before the season starts, will be banned from participating in the IPL/IPL auction for two seasons.
The only exception, according to the governing council, is for injury or medical conditions, which must be confirmed by the player’s home board.
This is the second consecutive year that Brook has pulled out just before the IPL season, both times from Delhi Capitals. Last March, shortly before the season opener, Brook informed Capitals about his withdrawal from the 2024 IPL to be with his family following his grandmother’s death. This bereavement had previously caused him to withdraw from England’s Test tour of India in February.
The 2025 IPL season will commence on March 22, with Delhi Capitals playing their first match against Lucknow Super Giants in Visakhapatnam on March 24. In addition to finding a replacement for Brook, Delhi Capitals also need to announce their captain.
Brook has participated in one IPL season so far, in 2023, with Sunrisers Hyderabad, which was a challenging season for him. He scored 190 runs at an average of 22.11 in 11 matches, with over half of these runs coming from a single outstanding innings of 100 not out from 55 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.
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