Harry Brook handed two-year IPL ban by BCCI after pulling out of the tournament: Reports

Young English batter Harry Brook has been handed a two-year ban in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as reports on Friday. Indian Express reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally communicated this decision to the England Cricket Board (ECB). 

Brook, was picked by Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 Auctions last November in Jeddah. The batter decided to pull out of the event this year owing to national commitments. It was reported that as per the new rules, the 26-year-old could be handed a two-year ban from the league. 

One BCCI source while speaking to the Indian Express had said “An official communication has been sent to ECB and Brook about BCCI banning him for two years as per its policy which was informed to each player before they registered their name for IPL auction last year. It’s a policy set by the board and each player has to oblige to it”

The new rules clearly state that “Any player who registers in the auction and after getting picked, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for 2 seasons.”. This means that Brook will not be eligible to put up his name for the auctions in the 2026 and 2027 Auctions and will likely return for the 2028 season. 

Mark Butcher supports Harry Brooks’ decision to skip IPL 2025

Former England batter Mark Butcher threw his weight behind Brook’s decision to skip IPL 2025. Butcher during his chat with Wisden Cricket said “This could be a career-defining, I think it's a team-defining or a project-defining summer for England and McCullum and Key and Stokes. So therefore I think he's made the right call. And he will make a lot of money playing for England”

The former England star also mentioned “It's one of the great advantages of being a capped, contracted England player, your compensation is very good. And that's part of something that I know Rob Key and the ECB have been in long discussions about, right the way back in 2022 when he took over”

“If we're going to protect ourselves, protect the national team and the national sport from outside influences, we need to make sure that the players we want and that we need are recompensed equitably with those tournaments.” Further added Mark Butcher.