Here’s why Harry Brook has been banned from the IPL for two years

England batter Harry Brook has been banned from the Indian Premier League (IPL) for two seasons after his last-minute withdrawal from the 2025 edition of the tournnament.

Brook made himself unavailable for the tournament earlier this week and extended an unreserved apology to his franchise Delhi Capitals (DC).

“There was a rule in place and that has been implemented. The ban covers the 2025 and 2026 edition,” a BCCI official told PTI.

Any foreign player giving the IPL a miss after getting picked at the auction faces a two-year ban from the competition, unless and until the said player is injured.

“Any [overseas] player who registers for [an] auction and, after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season will get banned from participating in the IPL/IPL auction for two seasons,” as per the BCCI document shared with teams last year.

Brook withdrew from the IPL in 2025 to lay the focus on his England career, whereas in 2024 he had done so after the death of his grandmother.

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“I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL. I apologize unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters,” Brook wrote on social media earlier this week.

“It is a really important time for England cricket and I want to fully commit to preparing for the upcoming series.

“In order to do this, I need time to recharge after the busiest period in my career to date. I know not everyone will understand, and I don’t expect them to, but I have to do what I believe is right and playing for my country remains my priority and focus.” England will play India in a home Test series in June, which will be followed by the much-anticipated Ashes from November to January.