Two-year ban not working: Sunil Gavaskar urges BCCI for harsher punishment after Ben Duckett's IPL 2026 withdrawal

India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was extremely critical of Ben Duckett pulling out of IPL 2026 at the last hour. Duckett was roped in by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore in last year's auction.

The England star explained he wanted to spend time at home and play red-ball cricket, following a forgettable run in the Ashes and being on the sidelines for the recent T20 World Cup as the reason behind his decision. As per the amended guidelines, he now faces a two-year ban from taking part in IPL and the auction.

Weighing-in on the last-hour overseas pullouts, while emphasising on Duckett, Gavaskar expressed that BCCI should come with harsher penalties as compared to a two-year ban. “It is a tough one. Clearly, Ben Duckett had a very good Ashes series, and if he had not been bought for the amount he was at The Hundred auction, maybe things would have been different. One can understand that, having been bought at a very good price in The Hundred, he was probably quite happy to miss this and say he wants to focus on his England Test career," Gavaskar told India Today.

“But yes, what should be done is something for the BCCI to think about as well, because a two-year ban is obviously not working. You have to look at something that will have an impact. As long as it’s not having an impact on the player and his chances of coming back to the IPL, it won’t work,” he added.

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However, when asked to Gavaskar on the punishment he feels is appropriate for this, the former India opener didn't have a clear answer. He instead pointed at the IPL governing council, stating it is their job to decide and not his.

“I don't know. I am not on the governing council. I haven't thought about it. Like for example, every time, when we talk about penalising, when you talk about penalising teams bowling slowly, by having another fielder inside the 30 metre circle rather than outside, that is a penalty that can have an impact on the game," said Gavaskar.

“That's a very effective penalty. Bowlers and fielders would want to move very fast because they want all five fielders outside the 30m circle for the last few overs. So, I think you need some sort of penalty that can have an impact. That has to affect the individual player. So, I don't know how that happens, but it is clearly something BCCI have to sit down and think about,” he added.

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