Ben Duckett Returns to Form in County Championship After Turning Down IPL Deal

England opener Ben Duckett made a stunning return to form, smashing an unbeaten double hundred for Nottinghamshire against Surrey at Trent Bridge during the Rothesay County Championship on Monday, May 11. Coming in at number three, Duckett scored an impressive 203 not out off 311 balls in the second innings, following a solid 42 in his first outing. 

He was picked up by the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the mini auction for his base price of INR 2 crore. However, the left-handed batter decided to withdraw from the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the last minute, choosing instead to focus on representing Nottinghamshire in the County Championship and working on his form ahead of the home Test summer, especially after a tough Ashes series in Australia. 

At 31, Duckett has shown that staying back to play domestic red-ball cricket was the right call. He’s currently the fourth-highest run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship, racking up 503 runs at an impressive average of 83.83, with a strike rate of 70.34. 

Duckett reflected on how his earlier decision to skip the IPL was ultimately beneficial for his international career, noting the improvements in his game since then. 

He faced a tough choice when he turned down the DC deal after an Ashes series where he managed just 202 runs across five Test matches, without a single half-century. The Capitals have since signed his fellow countryman, Rehan Ahmed, as his replacement, although the spin-bowling all-rounder has yet to make his IPL debut this season. 

In light of the Ashes disappointment, where England lost to their arch-rivals 4-1, significant changes to the Test side are anticipated. However, Duckett’s position seems secure for now, especially with his opening partner Zak Crawley likely facing the axe after a string of poor performances.