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After Ben Duckett’s Pullout, Another Two Star England Players Refuse to Participate in IPL 2026

Sreejita Sen

Last updated: March 27, 2026

3 min read

The IPL 2026 has already been struck with plenty of injury blows as multiple key domestic and overseas players are set to miss out on taking part in the upcoming edition. Amidst this, the star England opener Ben Duckett has also joined the list of unavailable players, while two of his other teammates have followed the move and decided not to participate in the forthcoming edition.

Josh Tongue, Jamie Smith Refuse to Play in IPL 2026

Duckett was roped in by the Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 2 crore in the IPL 2026 mega auction. But just three days ahead of the tournament opener, the batter pulled out of the tournament to focus on his red-ball game. Earlier, England captain Harry Brook had also withdrawn from the tournament after being signed by DC before the previous edition.

“I felt it was going to be a great opportunity when I put myself in the auction, and for a franchise like Delhi to pick me up was amazing. I was buzzing. It’s the best competition in the world with the best players, and would have been an amazing experience,” he had stated to Telegraph Sport.

However, as per the Telegraph Sport, two other England players, Josh Tongue and Jamie Smith, have also turned down offers to join IPL 2026 teams. Initially, both of them went unsold in the mini auction in December 2025. As Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Thushara failed to earn an NOC from the board due to his fitness issues, the bowler could have been a great replacement for the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

On the other hand, youngster Smith could have also been one of the options to join the DC camp for filling in Duckett’s slot. However, the 25-year-old had recently opened up on how the IPL 2026 snub helped him to improve his skills for the longest format. Notably, all three of the England players are yet to make an appearance in the cash-rich league.

ALSO READ:

11 England Players Set to Take Part in IPL 2026

Some of the star England players, like Ben Stokes, Joe Root, and Sam Curran, alongside the abovementioned names, will not be seen in action during the IPL 2026. But apart from them, there will be a total of 11 players from the country to represent six different franchises in the forthcoming season.

England Players in IPL 2026

Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Jamie Overton.
Gujarat Titans (GT): Jos Buttler, Tom Banton, and Luke Wood.
Mumbai Indians (MI): Will Jacks.
Rajasthan Royals (RR): Jofra Archer.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, and Jordan Cox.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Brydon Carse and Liam Livingstone.

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