Batsman Harry Brook withdrew his name from IPL, will be banned for two years

There is little time left for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 to start. On the 22nd of March, the tournament will start with the match between defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Before the new season, Delhi Capitals (DC) received a huge setback. The team's big-hitting batsman Harry Brook withdrew his name.

Harry Brook has withdrawn his name from IPL 2025 due to personal reasons. This is the second time in a row that the English batsman has done so. Brook wrote on social media, 'I have made a very difficult decision to withdraw from the next season of IPL. I apologize unconditionally to Delhi Capitals and their supporters. He said, 'This is a really important time for England cricket and I want to be fully committed to preparing for the upcoming series.'

Brook said, 'For this, I need time to refresh myself after the busiest phase of my career so far. I know that not everyone will understand this and I don't expect them to either, but I have to do what I think is right, and playing for my country is my priority and my full focus is on this.'

Brook withdrew from the IPL last year due to his grandmother's death. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made it clear before the mega auction that if any foreign player withdraws his name after being sold in the auction, he will be banned for two years.

According to the BCCI document shared with the teams last year, 'Any (foreign) player who registers for the auction and declares himself unavailable before the start of the season after being selected in the auction will be banned from participating in the IPL and IPL auction for two seasons.'

Brook was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 6.25 crore. However, no official statement has been issued by BCCI or DC in this regard so far.