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Ben Duckett, reflecting on England’s tough tours in India and the recent Champions Trophy in Pakistan, expressed how deeply those experiences have affected him. He harbors hopes of turning things around this coming summer.
England’s performance this year in white-ball cricket has been disappointing, with 10 losses out of 11 games. Their entire campaign at the Champions Trophy ended without a single win, leading to Jos Buttler stepping down as captain.
Some eyebrows were raised when Duckett, amid the 3-0 series loss to India, remarked, "I do not care as long as we beat them in the final of the Champions Trophy." This brought England’s strategy into question.
Rob Key, the managing director of men’s cricket, was quick to acknowledge that players sometimes say things to keep harmony in the locker room. Still, Duckett was clear about how much these results mean to the team.
Winning Over Everything
“All we want to do is win,” Duckett, the opener, laid it out plainly.
“If someone were to film the locker room after each loss in India and at the Champions Trophy, you’d see a bunch of guys who are truly heartbroken."
He continued, "Our playing style might show otherwise at times, but there’s a whole process behind it with Baz (Brendon McCullum) and the coaching staff.”
“There’s a lot more to it, and moving forward, things might look a bit different. We’re committed to winning games, even if our play style remains aggressive.”
“Those two months in India and Pakistan were quite painful, personally. Winning is all I want; that’s my priority every time. Now, we’ve got a great chance this summer to bounce back and secure some victories.”
India Challenge
After a whirlwind year of matches across different formats, Duckett is set to sit out the early part of the Rothesay County Championship. He wants to be at his best for the five-Test series against India.
“Nothing’s finalized just yet,” Duckett shared.
“Juggling commitments is tough because a lot of my career’s success is owed to Nottinghamshire, and there’s a desire to give back.”
“I’ve already discussed a game plan over coffee with our head coach Peter Moores. He totally gets it—I’ve been running on fumes, especially during the Champions Trophy.”
Duckett aims to be fully refreshed and mentally ready for that first Test against India.
Duckett also decided to take a break from social media by deleting his X (previously Twitter) account. This came after his remarks on facing India’s ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah were misquoted and spread online.
Speaking at Nottinghamshire’s media day, Duckett said, “If you asked me now, I’d probably rate Jasprit Bumrah as the toughest bowler to face globally."
“This past week has been a bit wild, but stepping back from Twitter feels like the right move for now—life’s just simpler without it.”
For more updates, don’t miss out on Jonny Bairstow talking about the potential for an England recall.
