South African cricketer Jean-Paul Duminy will miss the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League [IPL] due to personal reasons.

Duminy was part of the Delhi Daredevils, the same franchise he has represented since 2014. He even captained the Delhi-based team in the 2015 edition of the league and in two matches last season.

The 32-year-old’s absence will come as a big blow for the Daredevils as he was a crucial member of their team and has an outstanding record in the cash-rich T20 league.

Over the years, he has played 77 matches in the IPL, in which he has scored 1993 runs at an average of 39.86 and a strike-rate of 124.87. He has also chipped in with the ball, with 23 wickets to his name in seven seasons.

Duminy thanked the Daredevils for their support and hopes to be a part of the franchise again in the future.

“It has been a very difficult decision for me to make, but it was for purely personal reasons. I am grateful for the support and understanding from the franchise,” said Duminy.

“It has been an absolute privilege to have played for and led a talented mix of players. I certainly hope to play a part for the franchise in the near future.”

IPL 2017 begins on April 5, with Delhi’s first match scheduled for April 8 against last year’s runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.