England National Cricket Team white-ball skipper Harry Brook has confirmed that he would like to return to the Indian Premier League once he becomes eligible again. The England star is currently serving a two-year IPL ban after pulling out of the tournament for two consecutive seasons, but he has made it clear that he has not closed the door on a future return.
Harry Brook, who was bought by Delhi Capitals for INR 6.25 crore at the 2025 mega auction, is currently focused on his England commitments. However, when asked about another stint in the IPL, the batter admitted that the competition remains something he would consider in the future.
“The IPL is a great competition” – Harry Brook eyes Indian Premier League return
Harry Brook’s immediate priority remains playing as much cricket as possible for England, particularly after taking on greater leadership responsibilities across the national side. However, he remains positive about his experience in the IPL and believes playing in India can help a cricketer develop.
Speaking to Cricinfo, Brook said he cannot predict what the future holds but is currently concentrating entirely on England.
“Who knows what the future holds, but yeah, and like I said, I’m completely focussed on playing as much cricket as I possibly can for England, and that is my one and only priority at the moment,” he said.
Asked specifically whether he would consider returning to the IPL, Brook gave a clear answer. He said:
“Yeah, definitely. The IPL is a great competition, and it’s a great experience, and you go over there, you leave a better player. It’s a very good competition to be a part of, and it’s something that I’ll definitely think about in the future.”.
Why was Harry Brook banned from IPL and when can he comeback?
Harry Brook became subject to the IPL’s two-season ban after withdrawing from the tournament for the two successive years (IPL 2024 and IPL 2025). He was bought by Delhi Capitals for INR 6.25 crore at the auction, but his latest withdrawal meant he fell under the league’s rule introduced ahead of the 2025 auction.
Under the rule, an overseas player who enters the auction, gets selected and then makes themselves unavailable before the season can be banned from the IPL and its auction for two seasons. The only stated exception is an injury or medical condition that is confirmed by the player’s home board.
Brook had also withdrawn from IPL 2024, when he informed Delhi Capitals that he would miss the season following the death of his grandmother. As a result, Brook is eligible to return to the IPL auction in 2028.
His first IPL campaign came in 2023 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he scored 190 runs in 11 matches. More than half of those runs came in one memorable innings, when he smashed an unbeaten 100 off 55 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.
“Captaining is bloody hard” – Harry Brook
Harry Brook has also experienced a major change in his international responsibilities over the past year. He is England’s white-ball captain and was initially expected to take over as Test captain before the decision to bring Joe Root back following Ben Stokes’ retirement.
Reflecting on his time leading England, Brook admitted that captaincy comes with a significant mental and physical burden. He said:
“Captaining is bloody hard. It takes a lot out of you. The way we played against India was awesome, but at the end of it, I was tired. And I was glad that I was coming back [to the Hundred] just as a batter.”
Brook is currently playing for Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred following the franchise’s takeover by the Sun Group. He said the change in ownership has brought a different feel around the team, but the players remain focused on building relationships and winning matches.
“Well, it’s always going to be a little bit of change, obviously, with new owners, and there’s a lot more orange around the ground now, as seen with the [Sunrisers] Orange Army. But it’s the same with every franchise, really. You try and get to know everybody as quickly as you possibly can, build some bonds, and yeah, at the end of the day, we’re all here to try and win a few games of cricket.”
Brook was retained by the Leeds franchise after a strong 2025 campaign and is now looking to help the new-look Sunrisers Leeds build on last season’s run to the semi-finals.
