"2 Year Ban Not Working": Sunil Gavaskar Asks BCCI For Stricter Punishment To IPL Defaulters

England batter Ben Duckett's decision to withdraw from the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) left many fans disappointed. The England opener was bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹2 crore at the auction and was expected to open the innings alongside KL Rahul. However, Duckett chose to pull out of the tournament to focus on his international commitments with England. The announcement, made just days before the start of the IPL, has come as a setback for Delhi Capitals' preparations ahead of the new season.

Former India captain and veteran commentator Sunil Gavaskar strongly criticised Duckett for withdrawing at the last moment and urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take stricter measures against overseas players who opt out of the tournament so close to its commencement.

"It is a tough one. Clearly, Ben Duckett had a very good Ashes series, and if he had not been bought for the amount he was at The Hundred auction, maybe things would have been different. One can understand that, having been bought at a very good price in The Hundred, he was probably quite happy to miss this and say he wants to focus on his England Test career," Gavaskar said on India Today.

"But yes, what should be done is something for the BCCI to think about as well, because a two-year ban is obviously not working. You have to look at something that will have an impact. As long as it's not having an impact on the player and his chances of coming back to the IPL, it won't work," he added.

For the unversed, BCCI has implemented two-year ban policy on the overseas stars, who pull out of IPL at the last moment, citing personal issues. As per this rule, a player is barred from participating in the IPL or the auction for two years.

England lost the Ashes 1-4 against Australia earlier this year. Duckett, who averaged 20.2 in Australia with a top score of just 42, was also filmed seemingly drunk during a controversial mid-series break in Noosa.

"I wasn't proud of how things went in Australia," Duckett said on Friday. "Hopefully, moving forward, we'll just see over time how much playing for England means for us."

"This is not why I've done it but pulling out of the IPL, turning down a good chunk of money and missing the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players in the world to be here playing for Notts is a step in the right direction to show how much playing cricket for England means to me personally," he said.

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