Former England allrounder Moeen Ali believes that a potential two-year ban from the IPL for Harry Brook is justified. Brook withdrew from the tournament for the second year in a row after being signed at auction, and new IPL rules stipulate a ban for such withdrawals unless due to injury or medical reasons confirmed by the player’s home board.
According to the IPL’s regulations, Brook will not be eligible to participate in the IPL or be part of the auction until 2027. The only exception to this rule is for players who miss a season due to injury or medical conditions, which must be verified by their home board.
‘It’s not harsh, though, I kind of agree with it,’ Moeen Ali stated on the Beard Before Cricket podcast. He explained that many players have withdrawn from the IPL in the past, sometimes to return later with better financial deals, which disrupts the league’s system.
Moeen emphasized the negative impact on Delhi Capitals, who signed Brook. His withdrawal forces the team to make significant adjustments. He believes that unless a withdrawal is due to family reasons or injury, a ban is a fair consequence to maintain the integrity of the tournament.
Delhi Capitals signed Brook for INR 6.25 crore (£590,000 approx.) last November. They were informed of his withdrawal earlier in March by the ECB. Brook cited the need to ‘recharge after the busiest period’ of his career as the reason for his withdrawal in a social media post.
Brook, contracted with England across all formats, is considered a leading candidate to succeed Jos Buttler as the white-ball captain after England’s disappointing Champions Trophy campaign.
Moeen suggested that Brook’s decision might be linked to his potential England captaincy and the upcoming major Test series: a five-Test series against India and the Ashes in Australia.
Moeen noted that other England players have previously withdrawn from the IPL. He speculated that Brook might be prioritizing rest and preparation for a busy schedule, including potential captaincy responsibilities. ‘England plays a lot,’ Moeen said, suggesting Brook is taking a break to prepare for upcoming commitments.
Brook’s withdrawal puts him in a difficult position given the new IPL rules designed to prevent late withdrawals that frustrate franchises. These rules were implemented following feedback from franchises concerned about such occurrences.
This is the second consecutive year Brook has withdrawn from the IPL. Last March, he withdrew shortly before the season to be with his family following his grandmother’s death, which had also caused him to miss England’s Test tour of India.
Adil Rashid, another England player with IPL experience, echoed Moeen’s sentiment. Rashid stated that the rule is clear, and players are aware of the consequences of withdrawing after signing up. He believes the ban is not harsh, especially if withdrawals are not due to injury or similar unavoidable reasons.
Rashid highlighted that the rule aims to address the issue of players frequently withdrawing at the last minute, which disrupts team dynamics. He supports the IPL’s attempt to prevent such disruptions and maintain fairness.
