Two England Players Refuse IPL Contracts. Report Makes Stunning Claim
The Indian Premier League franchises have been severely hit by injuries to players ahead of the 19th edition.
- The Indian Premier League franchises have been severely hit by injuries to players ahead of the 19th edition
- As per a report, England's Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue were approached to be signed as replacement players
- The duo, who went unsold at IPL 2026 auction, refused the offer, the report added
The Indian Premier League franchises have been severely hit by injuries to players ahead of the 19th edition. Multiple players are set to miss the tournament, while many are unavailable for the initial phase due to their respective injuries. Amid the ongoing crisis, a report has claimed that two England players were approached to be signed as replacements, but the duo declined the offers. IPL 2026 begins on Saturday with a match between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The report was carried by The Telegraph, which claimed that England's Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue were approached by IPL franchises to fill the void left by injured players. Notably, both the stars were unsold in the IPL 2026 auction. While Smith's base price was Rs 2 crore, that of Tongue was Rs 1 crore.
Earlier, England batter Ben Duckett withdrew from his IPL 2026 contract with Delhi Capitals to ensure that he is "in the best possible place physically and mentally" ahead of England's home summer schedule.
Duckett, who has never played in the IPL, was bought for Rs 2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction in December last year. He has now decided to withdraw from the tournament and will instead prepare for England's home summer, which includes three Tests against New Zealand in June, followed by three Tests against Pakistan in August-September.
England are also set to host India for five T20Is and three ODIs in July.
In a post on his Instagram story, Ben Duckett said he made the difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL to focus on being physically and mentally ready to give his best for England's home summer fixtures.
Duckett also apologised to Delhi Capitals and their fans for any disruption caused by his withdrawal, expressing regret at not being able to represent the franchise despite his excitement for the opportunity.
(With IANS inputs)
England Cricket Team
Delhi Capitals