The genius behind Ben Duckett and an England innings that twisted reality

Independent

7 hours ago

Ben Duckett reverse swept once, twice, three times. And eventually twelve.
A modern man, conquering the most traditional role in Test cricket - opening the batting - in the least traditional of ways. With that shot alone, he made 31 runs. In total, he made 149 as he guided England to their second-highest run chase in history.
Duckett, whose highest score remains 182 against Ireland in 2023, has quietly, and consistently, built a record that places him in the upper echelons of England's greatest ever openers. In a batting line-up where Joe Root 's and Ben Stokes ' legends are already made. Where Harry Brook is the next generational talent elect, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope spend their lives under a microscope. Duckett's consistency at the top of the order has gone, if not unnoticed, underappreciated.
Since his return to the Test side in 2022, he has averaged 47 with a strike rate of 88. In terms of average, it is higher than either Sir Alastair Cook or Sir Andrew Strauss managed. The last two men to nail the role of opener in an England shirt both ended up taking one knee in front of the Queen, knighted for their efforts. As a strike rate, it is higher than Virender Sehwag's. The man widely considered to be the greatest aggressive opener in history.
In 2025, it may seem too early, hyperbolic even, to put Duckett's name in the same bracket as the greats. But continue as he has been since his return to the side, and by 2035 it'll have been there for years.
Brendon McCullum's team have twisted reality to the point that arriving at Headingley on day five, with 350 runs still required for victory, England's pursuit of their second highest ever run chase felt eminently possible rather than the opinion of a madman. These run chases didn't happen even three years ago. The dial has been changed. And this England team is the reason.
Along with Crawley, Duckett gave England their dream start. The fifty partnership between the two came in the seventeenth over of the innings - the slowest they have ever shared as a pair - but in murky, bowler-friendly conditions, it was perfect.
Duckett, watchful, punched the ball airily off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj. It dropped just in front of the fielder before skipping past him and away for four. Duckett celebrated with a mini fist pump to himself.
Duckett's strength lies in his versatility. Against fast bowlers, he hits the same ball in three different directions. And against the spinners, he has an arsenal of sweeps to call upon. Sometimes he keeps his hands the same on the bat. Sometimes he swaps them over. Sometimes he steps forward with his right foot. And sometimes he swaps round and leads with his left.
The crowning shot of Duckett's innings was his reverse sweep for six off Ravindra Jadeja that sailed into the East Stand. But his best was his on-drive against Jasprit Bumrah. The greatest bowler in the world, greeted with a perfect technique.
People often talk about footwork when it comes to batting. But as the pace goes up in cricket, the opportunity for players to make large movements either forwards or backwards disappears. At the highest level, there simply isn't time.
Instead, batting becomes about weight transfer. Subtle shifts that allow batters to manipulate their stance and access all areas. Duckett, short in stature, rarely, if ever, moves his feet. Crouched low in his stance, he cuts anything slightly wide. He pulls anything slightly short. And drives anything remotely full. He is a call and response cricketer with the answers pre-loaded before the ball has even arrived.
His talents have made him an all-format England opener, and furthers the case that Duckett is one of England's most complete batters. Only he and Harry Brook command a spot in all three XIs. In ODI cricket, Duckett's average is even higher than it is in Tests, standing at 49. And since becoming the undisputed first-choice opener in 2024, it is 56.
Headingley is the home of the run chase. One of the very first Bazball chases happened here in 2022 when England blitzed 296 for three against New Zealand; Shai Hope's twin tons downed England in 2017; and a little-known cricketer named Ben Stokes made 135 not out two years ago against Australia when England hauled in 362.
Today, Duckett added his name to that list with one of the greatest innings played in an England shirt. 18 months ago, England went one-nil up in a series against India after Pope made 196 in the Heist of Hyderabad. That innings felt like a miracle. The perfect combination of a thousand factors coming together. Duckett's innings today, rather than a miracle, felt like a coming of age. The next step for a player who is making his legend in front of our eyes.
In India's history, they have only failed to defend a target of north of 350 twice. The first time was in England in 2022 when the home team chased in 378. And the second was today in their very next match on these shores.
In total, four of England's ten highest successful run chases in Test history have come during the Bazball era. And the man leading from the front is Ben Duckett.