He can't play IPL for two years.
Harry Brook is one of the finest white-ball batters in world cricket, with all the shots in the armour to unleash at various points. Not many batters can do what he is capable of, especially given that he is still very young and will grow more from here on.
Brook’s superior skill set was again visible during the second T20I against New Zealand, where he blasted 78 runs in 35 balls, including six boundaries and five maximums, at a strike rate of 222.86. Overall, he has 532 runs at an average of 33.25 and a strike rate of 164.70 in 21 innings, including three fifties, this year.
However, Brook, despite all the talent, can’t participate in IPL for the upcoming two editions, including the 2026 season. A change in rules will keep him out of action in the cash-rich league, where he had a chance to earn more and improve his game.
Before the mega auction, IPL introduced a new rule, which states that a player who registers himself for the auction and gets picked but pulls out before the season will be banned for two years. The rule, obviously, doesn’t apply to injured players, but Brook was fit at the time of making himself unavailable, so he can’t play two seasons.
It was introduced at the request of IPL franchises, who have been on the wrong end of players refusing to join the team without any injury concerns. Mostly English players, and Australians sometimes, have done it over the years, including names such as Jason Roy and Adam Zampa.
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Delhi Capitals (DC) picked him for INR 6.25 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, but the English captain didn’t show for the edition. He cited prioritising England cricket and preparing for the home summer as the reason for the move.
Brook confirmed that he will continue to put national duties first and won’t be available for franchise cricket for some time earlier this year. This was the second consecutive time he didn’t feature in the league after missing the 2024 season due to personal reasons.
Harry Brook getting banned from IPL is a lose-lose situation for both parties. At this stage, he is at his peak and would have lifted the tournament’s quality with his presence.
Meanwhile, Brook would rue this missed opportunity, even if he doesn’t feel it now. IPL is the best T20 platform, and with the next T20 World Cup in the subcontinent, Brook would have gained ample experience facing the best bowlers, precisely on the kind of decks the global event will have.
Even in general, he would have developed massively and grown into a better batter by getting IPL exposure. Brook is still as skilled as any batter out there, but he can lack game awareness at times and would have learnt some of it in IPL.
Several overseas players have credited the IPL for improving their game in the past. Brook should have been more prudent with his decisions and opted to play the 2025 edition for DC, as England players were released before the playoffs anyway, after the tournament was delayed.
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