IPL: 5 Instances when overseas players pulled out of the tournament

Players from all around the world aspire to play in the Indian Premier League, the biggest and the grandest of all the T20 tournaments being held in the world. However, there have been several instances when overseas players have pulled out from the tournament citing various reasons other than injuries. Let us take a look at five such instances.

1. Chris Woakes

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Chris Woakes withdrew from the 2020 Indian Premier League, stating that he needed to rest and focus on his national duties. The IPL is fantastic, he said, but I've been there and done it. Not that I don't want to do it again, but right now, England and spending time with my family whenever possible are the two things that matter most to me. 

He stated this to reporters during the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka in March 2020. In the December 2019 auctions, the Delhi Capitals paid Rs. 1.5 crore for the England all-rounder. Anrich Nortje, a South African pacer, has been named by the team as Woakes' substitute.

2. Mark Wood

The champions of the 2022 T20 World Cup, England, had already started their preparations for another T20 World Cup to be scheduled in 2024. Mark Wood has been a core member of the team’s setup across formats in the last couple of years. One of the fastest in the world, he is a deadly weapon which England wants to preserve and use wisely.

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Because of this, the English seamer, who had been signed by the Lucknow Super Giants for INR 7.5 crore at the IPL 2022 auction, sought to withdraw from the 2024 season. Although he was signed by the team for the 2024 Indian Premier League season, ECB wanted to minimize his workload with the 2024 T20 World Cup in mind. 

3. Andrew Tye

The 2021 season of the IPL had many players pulling out of the tournament due to the bad conditions across the globe by the Corona Virus. The players had to stay in the bubbles, in an attempt to restrict the virus from spreading in the tournament.

He left for a variety of reasons, but the primary one was the circumstances that had begun to develop at his home in Perth with numerous cases in home quarantine originating from India. Particularly in Western Australia, the governments were attempting to limit the number of individuals returning. Another important factor was bubble fatigue.

4. Lasith Malinga

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One of the all-time greats of the shortest format of the game, Lasith Malinga has been a core member of the Mumbai Indians side of the Indian Premier League. The Mumbai line-up had been extremely dependent on him from the start of the tournament with him being their most crucial wicket-taker.

Citing personal reasons, Lasith Malinga decided not to participate in the 2020 IPL competition and returned to Sri Lanka. According to reports, the seasoned bowler wants to spend more time with his ailing father at home.

5. Harry Brook

Harry Brook has been the latest addition to the list of the overseas players who have pulled out of the Indian Premier League. Brook has not yet provided an explanation for his departure, and the IPL has not released any formal statements on the subject. 

But it has been quite evident that he is the front-runner to take Jos Buttler's place as England's white-ball captain. England’s journey in the Champions Trophy 2025 came to a screeching halt as they failed to win even a single game. Officials from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of Brook's decision to leave the league.

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