Ben Duckett has emerged as one of the most explosive T20 batters in recent years. However, despite his impressive credentials, he surprisingly went unsold at the IPL 2025 Auction, which was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The English left-hander has once again grabbed attention with his performances in the ongoing T20I series against India. He played a blistering knock of 51 off 28 balls in England’s victory in the third match and followed it up with another impactful innings of 39 off 19 deliveries in the fourth T20I. These performances have reaffirmed his aggressive intent and ability to make significant contributions in the shortest format.
With the IPL spanning over two-and-a-half months, injuries to key players are inevitable, creating opportunities for replacements. Given Duckett’s recent form, he has positioned himself as a strong contender for a mid-season call-up. Here, we take a look at three teams that could be interested in securing his services if any of their key players suffer an injury.
Lucknow Super Giants made headlines at the IPL 2025 auction with their record-breaking purchase of Rishabh Pant for INR 27 crores. However, this high-profile acquisition disrupted their squad balance, leaving them with only six overseas players instead of utilizing their full quota of eight.
LSG also have room to bring in overseas replacements for injured Indian players, given their two vacant overseas slots. Adding to their concerns, they are without a designated opener in their squad, making Ben Duckett a valuable addition.
Furthermore, the franchise is closely monitoring the fitness of South African batter David Miller, who has already missed two SA20 games due to a groin injury. If Miller’s injury persists, or if LSG finds themselves in need of a top-order reinforcement, Duckett emerges as a strong candidate to join their squad at the beginning or the middle of the season.
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Rajasthan Royals had such a strong squad ahead of the IPL 2025 Auction that they had to make the tough call of releasing Jos Buttler. Once they let him go, they knew it would be difficult to bring him back, and Gujarat Titans eventually secured his services at the auction.
Their retentions left them with a limited budget, preventing them from bidding for some of their desired players. As a result, like LSG, they were only able to sign six overseas players instead of the full quota of eight. Moreover, they lack an aggressive overseas top-order batter in Buttler’s mold, making Ben Duckett a fitting addition to their squad.
If an injury occurs before or during the season, RR could very well turn to Duckett as a mid-season replacement to bolster their batting lineup.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have once again built a formidable squad for IPL 2025, but they lack depth in batting backups, with only three Indian domestic players available.
The opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma was a revelation for SRH last season, forming one of the most destructive partnerships in the tournament. However, injuries are an unavoidable part of a long season, and SRH must be prepared for any setbacks. If Head suffers an injury before or during the tournament, they will need a reliable backup who can replicate his aggressive approach at the top.
This is where Ben Duckett becomes a valuable option. Additionally, with only seven overseas players in their squad, SRH have the flexibility to sign an overseas replacement even if an Indian player is ruled out. Given these factors, Duckett remains a strong candidate to join SRH should they require reinforcements mid-season.
