Harry Brook withdrew from the IPL the second year in the running after being picked by the Delhi Capitals at the auction. Brook mentioned that he was coming off the 'busiest period' of cricket and just wanted to take a breather, relax and recover and wanted to channel all his energies into preparing for a big international season for England. Brook, who could be England's next white-ball captain, took a break but the later withdrawal has brought the new IPL rule into consideration.
Brook would be banned from participating in the IPL until 2027 unless it is due to an injury. Brook's former England teammate Moeen Ali 'kind of' agreed with the rule suggesting that the late decision messes up the respective team's plans and they would have to rejig their combination and strategies to account for the absence, especially since he took the call knowing the repercussions.
"It's not [harsh] though, I kinda agree with it," Moeen said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast while responding to a question about whether the ban was harsh. "A lot of people do that [withdrawing]. People have done it in the past, and then they come back in and end up getting a better financial package or whatever it is. It kinda messes up a lot of things as well at the same time.
"It's messed his team [Delhi Capitals] up, him pulling him out. Any team that loses Harry Brook is messed up a bit, and they've got to now rejig everything and stuff like that. Forget him for a second, if you do pull out, the rule is you get a ban unless it's a family reason or injury. If it's injury, it's different. But I think if you just pull out, then it's… I kinda agree with it [the rules]."
Brook was picked by the Capitals for Rs 6.25 crore and was going to form a quality middle-order duo with Tristan Stubbs. However, with Brook pulling out, the Capitals chose Faf du Plessis as their vice-captain with Axar Patel leading the side and may pair Stubbs with KL Rahul and skipper Axar Patel in the middle with Ashutosh Sharma as the designated finisher.
Moeen further admitted that England players have pulled out in the past [Jason Roy, David Willey] but also understood where Brook was coming for with a big summer of cricket coming up.
"It's happened a few times before, England players have done it a few times before in the past," Moeen said.
"With him, he's played a lot of cricket; he's probably just thinking a little bit of a rest, there's a big summer coming up, a big 12 months coming up. "England do play a lot though. He [Brook] plays all forms, he's probably going to be captain of the white-ball side as well, he's probably just giving himself a bit of a break. It's been a tough winter, he's probably just going to get his game in order a bit more. That's all," he added.