Opener Ben Duckett expects England to win the upcoming five-match Test series against India. He also noted that nothing from Jasprit Bumrah will surprise him in the coming summer but expects it to be challenging.
Ben Duckett is highly optimistic about England’s chances of beating India in the upcoming five-match Test series, slated to begin on June 20. The last time that India travelled to England, the series ended 2-2, while in 2024, the Rohit Sharma-led side squashed the Three Lions, to win the series 4-1. Nevertheless, Duckett is confident and noted that the conditions in England are different and they are ready to put on a strong fight.
“India at home is very different to India away. It’s a side I feel we should beat and we can beat. It’ll be a good series,” Duckett told in Mail Sport.
The opener also added that playing Jasprit Bumrah might be challenging but he won’t be surprised by anything. The 30-year-old reminded about his experience of playing him in a five-match Test series and mentioned that playing Mohammed Shami will be equally threatening. The cricketer added further that in case he bails out the opening spell, runs will flow automatically.
“I’ve faced him in a five-Test series before. I know what he’s going to do to me, and the good thing about that is I know what skills he has. There’s going to be nothing that surprises me. It’s going to be challenging, and the red-ball skills of Mohammed Shami are just as threatening as Bumrah. But if I can get through that opening spell, I feel there are runs to be had,” he stated.
Notably, Duckett has been one of the most consistent performers for England in red-ball cricket but averages only 27.76 against India in the longest format of the game. Now, it needs to be seen if he can produce a better performance or if India finally manage to get the job done in England. The first of the five-match Test series will be played in Headingley, followed by at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford and Kennington Oval.
