Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk has become the second overseas player after Jamie Overton, Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) English recruit, to confirm his pull-out from IPL 2025, which will resume on May 17. Fraser-McGurk, who was signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the mega auction for INR 9 crore (USD 1.07 million approx.) is understood to have informed the franchise that he will not rejoin the squad.
The IPL has announced that Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has replaced Fraser-McGurk at DC for INR 6 crore. Mustafizur has previously played for DC in IPL 2022 and IPL 2023, picking up nine wickets across those seasons. However, he will not be eligible for retention by DC for IPL 2026 as per the tweaked replacement rules.
The IPL's original regulations permit teams to sign replacements in the event of illness or injury provided it occurs during or before their 12th match of the season. But the league has taken the call to change those rules, enabling temporary replacements to be signed for the remainder of the rearranged season.
The Mustafizur signing, however, has run into complications, with the BCB stating that it hasn't yet been approached for an NOC. Mustafizur has flown out to Dubai with the Bangladesh squad for the first of two T20I series - the other is in Pakistan - that are due to clash with the rejigged IPL schedule.
From being indispensable towards the end of IPL 2024, Fraser-McGurk became dispensable for DC by the halfway mark this season after poor returns with the bat. Fraser-McGurk, 23, opened in DC's first six matches, but returned single-digit scores in five of them with a highest score of 38 in an overall tally of 55 runs before he was benched.
Despite that, the development won't help DC, who remain in contention for the playoffs, as it is understood they are still waiting for confirmations from several of their first-choice overseas players.
That list includes Australia left-arm quick Mitchell Starc and the South African pair of Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs.
Stubbs is part of South Africa's squad for the World Test Championship final, which begins on June 11 at Lord's, and CSA has said that the WTC-bound players will have to abide by the initial NOCs, which run up to May 25 - the original date for the IPL final.
May 14, GMT 1035 - Story updated after Mustafizur Rahman was announced as Jake Fraser-McGurk's replacement at DC
GMT 1518 - Story updated with details of Mustafizur's NOC issue and fixture clash