England batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to personal reasons, Cricbuzz reported.
The England batter, who was purchased for INR 4 crore by Delhi Capitals, has decided to not be part of the league, which begins on March 22.
Brook's absence extends beyond the IPL; he was also a notable absentee from the England team recently. Originally scheduled to participate in the Test series in India, Brook withdrew from the Test squad at the last minute, with the England team management and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) seeking privacy for the player and his family.
"The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time. In light of this, the ECB and the family kindly request the media and the public to respect their wish for privacy and refrain from intruding on their private space," stated the ECB in a January release.
As per the publication, this trend of English players pulling out of commitments citing personal reasons has caused resentment among the IPL franchises. They argue that such unexpected and sudden withdrawals disrupt their auction planning. IPL franchises are considering addressing this issue with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"Once players register for the auction, they should honour their commitment. Reneging on it is unprofessional, and the BCCI should address this," voiced a franchise official. This is not the first instance of such withdrawals; players like Alex Hales, Jason Roy, and even Mitchell Starc have previously withdrawn citing similar reasons.
Brook has played a significant role in the Bazball style of play under the current management of Ben Stokes and Brandon McCullum in the England team. However, his performance in the IPL last year was disappointing.
Despite being bought by SunRisers Hyderabad for a substantial sum of INR 13.25 crore in the 2023 season, he only scored 190 runs with a modest average of 21. As a result, the franchise let him go before the auction, where Delhi Capitals secured him for Rs 4 crore.
- Harry Brook