Harry Brook withdrew from participating in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League after a family tragedy
England cricketer Harry Brook has opted out of participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the passing of his grandmother. Brook had previously withdrawn from England’s recent Test tour in India back in January, citing personal reasons. The 25-year-old has now disclosed that the underlying reason for his absence during the tour was his grandmother’s illness and her limited time left.
England’s Harry Brook during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (PTI)
In an announcement made on Wednesday, Brook confirmed that he will not be joining Delhi Capitals for the IPL season; the franchise secured his services for INR 4 crore in December last year.
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“I can confirm that I have made the very difficult decision not to play in the upcoming IPL,” he wrote in a post across his official social media profiles.
“I was so excited to be picked by Delhi Capitals and was so looking forward to joining up with everyone.
“Whilst I don’t think I should need to share my personal reasons behind this decision, I know there will be many asking why. So, I do want to share this.
“I lost my grandmother last month — she was a rock to me and I spent a huge amount of my childhood in her home; my attitude to life and love for cricket was shaped by her and my late grandfather.”
Brook had withdrawn from the five-Test series against India before the squad flew out from their training camp in the United Arab Emirates. At the time, the reason for his departure was not revealed, but Brook, in his post, stated that her grandmother had been ill at the time.
“I made the decision to leave the India Test tour the night before we flew from Abu Dhabi to India because I was told for the first time that my grandmother was ill and didn’t have long left,” he said.
“Now that she has passed my family & I are grieving and I need to be around them.
“Over the last few years I have learned to prioritise my mental wellbeing and that of my family’s, honestly nothing is more important to me than family.”
Having scored four centuries in 12 Test matches for England, Brook previously represented Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL’s previous season. However, he was released by the franchise following a disappointing debut campaign last year.
DC’s first match on March 23
Delhi Capitals will kickstart their campaign in the upcoming IPL edition against the Punjab Kings on March 23. They are yet to announce a replacement player for Brook, however.
Despite Brook’s withdrawal, the biggest news for the franchise remains the return of its star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant; the explosive batter makes his comeback to competitive cricket after more than 14 months following a near-fatal car accident in December 2022. Pant was declared fit by the NCA earlier this month, paving his way for a return to action in the IPL.
