Ali, Rashid, Vaughan Weigh-In On Harry Brook’s IPL Ban
Brook Pulls Out of IPL 2025 for Second Consecutive Season
For a second year running, Harry Brook decided to pull out of his contract with the Delhi Capitals in the lead-up to the start of the Indian Premier League. The England batsman was bought by the Capitals for ₹6.25 crore at the IPL mega auction in November last year.
Brook’s decision to withdraw from the competition was conveyed to the BCCI by the ECB, which ultimately led to the Three Lions’ player being slapped with a two-year ban. Explaining his decision on X, Brook wrote:
"I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL. I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters. I love cricket. Ever since I was a young boy, I have dreamt of playing for my country, and I am extremely thankful to have the opportunity to play the game I love at this level.”
Brook went on to explain that he wants to take the time to recuperate and focus on national duty for the Three Lions after serving as the vice-captain in their premature elimination at the recently concluded Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai.
At the end of last season, the IPL introduced a new rule which states that any player who registers for the IPL auction and pulls out of the competition after being selected will be banned from both the tournament and the auction for two years.
The only exception to the new rule is in the case of “an injury or medical condition, which will have to be confirmed by the player’s home board”. Given Brook citing prioritising England cricket as his reason for withdrawal, the rule was enforced, meaning his will not be a part of the IPL until 2027.
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IPL Greats Weigh-In On Brook Ban
One of the first to respond to the BCCI’s decision to ban Brook was his former teammate Moeen Ali, who conceded that he agreed with the outcome. The 37-year-old went on to explain that Brook’s withdrawal would have “messed his team up” and reinforced that he felt the ruling was warranted.
Former Sunrisers Hyderabad and England spinner Adil Rashid shared similar sentiments to Ali, while also mentioning that the rule was overdue, given the number of players that have opted to pull out of the tournament before and even after it had commenced - (Jason Roy and Gus Atkinson come to mind in this regard).
The latest Englishman to respond to the situation was former Three Lions' skipper Michael Vaughan, who also defended the BCCI’s ruling, saying “I think they are right. You put yourself forward. The rules were the rules. They announced them at the end of last year's IPL”.
The opening match of the 2025 IPL gets underway later today, and our experts have provided their insights on how it will pan out in their KKR vs RCB prediction right here on SportyTrader!
