England opener Jason Roy has chosen family over the IPL as bubble fatigue, or rather its scare, has already made an impact on the upcoming edition of the popular T20 tournament.

The 31-year-old South Africa-born English cricketer, who was signed by Gujarat Titans for his base price of Rs 2 crore at the mega auction last month, took to Twitter to announce his decision of pulling out of this year’s IPL.

“It’s with a heavy heart I have decided to pull out of this year’s tournament. I want to thank the management and the captain Hardik (Pandya) for putting your faith in me and picking me in the auction,” Roy wrote. “However, with everything going on in the world over the last 3 years it’s added up and taken it’s toll on me. I feel it’s only right I spend some quality time with my family.”

Roy was blessed with his second child in January.

“As well as spending time working on myself and my game over the next couple of months leading into a very busy year. I will be following each game of the Titans and backing them to lift the trophy in their first year of the tournament,” he added.

Roy’s withdrawal will hit the Gujarat franchise hard as he was the only specialist opener besides young Shubman Gill in the squad. The IPL debutants might now use Wriddhiman Saha as an opener. The wicketkeeper-batsman has opened in the IPL previously and has a few good innings to his name.

This is, however, not the first time that Roy has pulled out of the IPL. In 2020, he had skipped the meet after being picked up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.5 crore.

The 15th edition of the IPL is scheduled to begin on March 26 and will end in the last week of May.