The members of the England team support each other, so when Ben Duckett was interviewed after the third day in Rajkot, he naturally defended Joe Root, who had scored a century the previous day.

Regrettably for Duckett, Root was a major topic of discussion for the English team. His unsuccessful reverse scoop against Jasprit Bumrah in the morning was just another example of his recent string of low scores, which ultimately led to England’s disadvantage as they suffered a collapse of eight wickets for 95 runs in a span of two hours.

Root’s highest score on the tour thus far is 29, which he achieved on the first day of the series in Hyderabad. This may be concerning for a player with such a strong track record. Duckett, reflecting on the reverse-scooped six he hit off Pat Cummins during the first day of last year’s Ashes series, was determined to confront any naysayers.

“I am curious to know if those individuals had the same objection when he was executing it on Cummins,” stated Duckett. “Rooty is exceptional; he has abilities that many of us do not possess. To me, it is comparable to playing a drive and getting caught at second slip. Rooty executes that shot with such precision. It’s like me attempting a reverse sweep and being caught at point.”

“He has been consistently successful with his practiced options in the past year, so there is a high chance of it being executed over slip next time.”

Duckett’s score increased by 20 runs from his previous total of 133, but he had a quieter performance compared to the previous day. He attributed the slower pace towards the end of his innings, which he considers his best so far, to the more precise deliveries from India’s seamers and the increased field coverage for their spinners.

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“I believe we need to acknowledge India on a day like this,” stated Duckett. “They had a strong performance today, especially compared to yesterday, and their rebound was impressive.”

England’s early success of 207 runs for two wickets quickly declined to a disappointing total of 319 all out. This was a tough day for the bowlers, who were expecting some rest, but it’s all part of the ups and downs in the game for Duckett. He fully embraces the positive attitude of the current team and is open about sharing some unexpected aspects with the public.

Following India’s score of 196 for two, which gave them a lead of 322, the player stated: “[Ben] Stokes spoke to us before we took the field and expressed his desire for us to take wickets today, bowl at the opposing team, and get the game going. It was earlier than we had anticipated, but we were eager to get out there and fight back. No matter the circumstances, we will fight back with our own attacks.”

When questioned about a feasible goal for the fourth innings, Duckett stated: “The more, the merrier. This team strives to achieve extraordinary feats and make history. They can set as many targets as they want, and we will work hard to attain them.”

Source: theguardian.com