(Reuters) - England batsman Harry Brook pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the second successive year, a decision that could trigger a ban from future editions.
Brook was signed by Delhi Capitals in December 2023 but pulled out of last year's campaign following the death of his grandmother. On Sunday the 26-year-old said he had opted to skip this year's edition too in order to prepare for England's upcoming series.
Under IPL regulations, Brook faces a two-year ban from participating in the IPL and its auction for pulling out of the tournament before the start of the season.
"I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL," Brook said in a statement on social media.
"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.
"I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters."
Brook was vice-captain of the England squad which suffered an early exit from the Champions Trophy after losing all three group games.
Jos Buttler stepped down as captain after their elimination, and Brook is one of the main candidates to replace him. England play a one-off test against Zimbabwe in May, before hosting West Indies in three ODIs and three T20s.
"With the guidance of people I trust, I have taken the time to seriously consider this decision. It is a really important time for English cricket and I want to fully commit to preparing for the upcoming series," he added in the statement.
"In order to do this, I need time to recharge after the busiest period of my career to date."
The IPL runs from March 22 to May 25.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
