Harry Brook has made the decision to withdraw from the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), citing personal reasons. The English batter, who was signed by Delhi Capitals for INR 4 crore, has opted out of the league, which is set to commence on March 22.
Harry Brook Withdraws from IPL 2024 and England Duty .
This isn’t the first time Brook has withdrawn from cricket commitments recently. He was notably absent from the England squad as well. Initially slated to join the Test series in India, Brook pulled out from the squad unexpectedly, prompting the England team management and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to request privacy for him and his family.
In a statement released by the ECB in January, it was emphasized, “The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time. In light of this, the ECB and the family kindly request the media and the public to respect their wish for privacy and refrain from intruding on their private space.”
Such withdrawals from English players have irked IPL franchises, who argue that these abrupt pullouts disrupt their auction planning. They are considering raising this concern with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“Once players register for the auction, they should honor their commitment. Reneging on it is unprofessional, and the BCCI should address this,” voiced a franchise official.
This isn’t an isolated incident; players like Alex Hales, Jason Roy, and even Mitchell Starc have withdrawn previously for similar reasons. Efforts to obtain a comment from Delhi Capitals officials proved futile, indicating they might be scouting for a replacement.
Despite his recent withdrawal, Brook has been an integral part of the Bazball style of play under the current management of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum in the England team. However, his performance in the IPL last year was below par. Despite being signed by SunRisers Hyderabad for a hefty sum of INR 13.25 crore in the 2023 season, he only managed to score 190 runs with a modest average of 21. Consequently, the franchise released him before the auction, where Delhi Capitals snapped him up for Rs 4 crore.
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