Jonny Bairstow Or Jake-Fraser McGurk? Who Leads Ben Duckett's Replacement Race For Delhi Capitals?

Jonny Bairstow and Jake-Fraser McGurk - (Source:X.com)

Delhi Capitals dealt a heavy blow ahead of IPL 2026 as their newly recruited opener Ben Duckett pulled out of the league at the last minute. The England star, who was signed at a base price of 2 crores, ditched DC to focus on his international career. 

For the second consecutive year, the Delhi Capitals have found themselves in a difficult position where an overseas cricketer ditched them just days ahead of an IPL season. Last year, it was Harry Brook who opted out of the IPL because of personal reasons. 

Similar to the England captain, Ben Duckett will now also serve a two-year ban and won’t be allowed to participate in the league until 2029.

Luckily for the Capitals, they have plenty of openers in the squad, and Ben Duckett was anyway second or third in the pecking order. Nonetheless, the Delhi Capitals still require a replacement and are already hunting for one. 

The two front-runners at the moment are England’s Jonny Bairstow and Australia’s Jake-Fraser McGurk. For the unversed, Bairstow and McGurk both gave their names for the IPL 2026 auction but went unsold. 

However, they are great prospects at the top, which is why this article will shed light on which player the Delhi Capitals target as a replacement for Ben Duckett for IPL 2026. 

Jonny Bairstow Or Jake-Fraser McGurk: Better Replacement Option For Delhi Capitals

Talking about Jonny Bairstow, he has much more experience in IPL than Jake-Fraser McGurk. The right-handed batter made his IPL debut in 2019 with Sunrisers Hyderabad and was a consistent pick in the league till 2024. 

The 36-year-old went unsold in the 2025 auction, but the Mumbai Indians picked him as a replacement for Ryan Rickelton for the knockout stages. 

The England star played two matches but amassed 87 runs and turned out to be a great pick for the five-time winners. It was different that MI failed to qualify further, but Bairstow did his part.

After IPL 2025, Jonny Bairstow featured in several T20 leagues like the Hundred, SA20, and ILT20. He shone in every league, averaging above 30 with the bat. At present, the right-hand batter seems to be a great option for Delhi. 

Jonny Bairstow's Performance Across Leagues Since IPL 2025

Also Read: After Ben Duckett, Now 1 England Player Shoots PSL Aside 1 Day Before League Starts

Jake Fraser-McGurk Struggling For Runs

Jake Fraser-McGurk, on the other hand, has experience playing for the Delhi Capitals. The Australian opener had a breakout season in IPL 2024, where he amassed 330 runs in nine innings. However, his IPL 2025 was a pale shadow of his past version, and the 23-year-old struggled with just 55 runs in six innings.

Recently, McGurk signed for PSL but pulled out of the league due to personal reasons, hinting that he might be in contact with an IPL team for a contract. 

Delhi have tried JFM at the top, and it didn’t work out. Although, since IPL 2025, McGurk has featured in leagues such as the MLC and BBL, but has struggled for runs. Therefore, it seems to be a pretty clear choice here for the Capitals.

Why Delhi Capitals Should Pick Jonny Bairstow Over JFM For IPL 2026

If given the option, then the Capitals should definitely go for Jonny Bairstow as he is in much finer touch than Jake-Fraser McGurk. The Australia seamer has struggled for runs, whereas the England star batter has scored runs across continents.

With Bairstow in the team, DC can have a fire and ice pair with KL Rahul and Jonny to open the innings. Although Delhi have one challenge, which is that Bairstow will lead Yorkshire in the County Championship starting in early April. Therefore, it will be tough for them to convince the England opener to play the IPL.

In that scenario, Jake Fraser-McGurk has a great chance to return to the Capitals for another stint.

Delhi Capitals’ Other Potential Options As Ben Duckett Replacement

Other than Jonny Bairstow, the Delhi Capitals can go back to Sediqullah Atal, who was their replacement for Harry Brook in IPL 2025. Notably, the Capitals can also go for a local talent and bring in Yash Dhull back into the scheme of things.

The 23-year-old scored 261 runs in seven innings, averaging 37.29 in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025.

Also Read: Ishan Kishan To Become SRH's Permanent Captain? Pat Cummins Drops Big Hint