Despite its late entrance, Ben Duckett is adamant that England can prosper in India

Cricket News Update

Ben Duckett, aged 29, is confident that England can perform well in their upcoming Test series in India, despite facing criticism for the decision to arrive in the country at the last minute. The squad, led by Ben Stokes, is currently undergoing training in Abu Dhabi and is set to travel to Hyderabad just three days before the start of the five-Test series on January 25th.

There has been criticism from pundits, arguing that the limited time is insufficient for the team to acclimatize to the Indian conditions. Under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, warm-up matches have been avoided for much of their tenure.

England batsman Ben Duckett believes the decision to forgo warm-up matches and focus on intensive training ahead of their Test series in India is a wise one. With the series spanning seven weeks and uncertainty about the quality of opposition in warm-ups, Duckett emphasizes the rigorous training regimen, including facing top bowlers in the nets.

Duckett points out that facing local spinners in the nets may not adequately prepare them for the challenges posed by experienced Indian spinners like Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Despite acknowledging the difficulty of touring India, Duckett sees the value in the squad spending 10 days in Abu Dhabi, where they have more flexibility compared to being hotel-bound in India.

In emphasizing the mental aspect of the game, Duckett suggests that the squad’s time in Abu Dhabi provides a welcome change from being confined to a hotel for an extended period in India.