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England’s opening batter, Ben Duckett, addressed the criticism aimed at their bold strategy in Test cricket. He emphasized the team’s genuine drive to secure victories and suggested that their dynamic style might be misinterpreted.
Under Brendon McCullum’s guidance, England embraced a daring approach, notably pursuing a daunting target of 378 against India at Edgbaston in 2022. Since Ben Stokes took over as captain, the team has triumphed in 14 out of 23 Test matches.
Some People Can Never Be Happy – Ben Duckett
In a conversation with The Daily Mail, Ben Duckett remarked that certain critics are perpetually dissatisfied and concentrate solely on the negatives. He noted that their engaging approach might be mistaken for a lack of seriousness. Duckett emphasized that while every player is dedicated to winning, they prefer to achieve it in a more entertaining fashion.
“In the world we live in, some people can never be happy, and can never make positive comments. They’re always looking to dig and criticize the way anyone plays. The way we play our cricket, with a smile on our faces, gets perceived that we don’t care as much.
“But I can tell you that every single person who walks out on that field is desperate to win. We just want to do it in a slightly more entertaining way. I think we have done that,” Duckett said.
The left-handed batter has swiftly embraced his role as an opener, establishing a formidable partnership with Zak Crawley. Together, Duckett and Crawley have amassed 1,475 runs in 35 innings, boasting an average of 43.38.
That’s Exactly Why We Do It – Ben Duckett
Ben Duckett mentioned that after the 2023 Ashes series, numerous kids came up to him to praise England’s playing style. He pointed out that the enthusiastic responses from young fans were a major factor influencing their approach to the game.
“I remember playing in the Hundred last year straightaway after the Ashes, and so many kids coming up to me saying they’d watched the Ashes and loved how the team was playing. That’s exactly why we do it,” Ben Duckett added.
In the recent Test series against the West Indies, the opening batter accumulated 178 runs across five innings, averaging 44.50 with a strike rate of 92.71, including a top score of 76. To date, the left-handed Duckett has racked up 1,642 runs at an average of 41.05 and a strike rate of 85.74, featuring three centuries and nine half-centuries.
Duckett will next be seen in action during the forthcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka at home. With Ben Stokes sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Ollie Pope will captain the team. The first Test of the series is set to commence on August 21 in Manchester.
