Ben Duckett compared to Virender Sehwag in overwhelming praise: 'He is England's answer to… opening batting in World XI'
Jun 26, 2025 06:16 AM IST
Ben Duckett made a major statement with a brilliant century against India in Leeds, playing a pivotal role in England's emphatic chase of a daunting 371-run target to seal a memorable victory. The left-handed batter slammed 149 runs in the second innings to lay the foundation of a successful chase as England took a 1-0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Ben Duckett received solid support from Zak Crawley, who scored 65 in a commanding 188-run opening partnership. Their stand set the tone for England's successful chase, propelling them to a 1-0 lead in the five-match series ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston. David Lloyd called Ben Duckett England's answer to Virender Sehwag.(PTI and Getty Images)
Duckett had a difficult start to his career when he first broke into the England Test team in 2016 and had a flop show in subcontinent conditions against India and Bangladesh. He had to wait six years to get another chance in December 2022.
His 30 appearances in his second spell as a Test cricketer have yielded 2,511 runs at an average of 47.37 and a strike rate of 88.07. After his magnificent century against India in Leeds, he straightaway entered the debate of the best all-format batter in the world at the moment. Also Read | AB de Villiers' unfiltered take on Rishabh Pant's high-risk batting: 'Can count 20 occasions, he could've gotten out…'
Meanwhile, former England cricketer David Lloyd reserved massive praise for him and called him England's answer to Virender Sehwag.
'Ben Duckett has come a long way since he poured a drink over Jimmy Anderson on an Ashes tour. He is now England's answer to Virender Sehwag and opening the batting in your World XI. The reverse sweep is such a natural shot for him. He plays it for fun. It's no surprise to learn he was a good hockey player at school because it's like a hockey shot,' Lloyd wrote in his column for the Daily Mail. Also Read | 'Who is the actual appointed captain?': Shubman Gill gets ruthless reality check after losing his first Test as skipper
Sehwag, a Test veteran, scored 8586 runs at an average of 49.34 and remained the only Indian with two triple centuries in the format. The 46-year-old had a reputation for playing red-ball cricket with an aggressive approach. He also enjoyed a good record against England with 821 runs in 17 Tests at a striking rate of 75.39, featuring two centuries and four fifties. His blistering 86 off 68 balls in the 2008 Chennai Test remains one of his most iconic knocks, laying the foundation for India's successful chase of 387.
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Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Headaches from Headingley: How will India rally after losing 1st Test? Should Kuldeep Yadav come into XI now?
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He brings something different to the table with the bounce that he generates and has the ingredients of becoming a very good Test bowler,' Gambhir said. 'We will have to give them time,' Gambhir said about the pace attack. 'Earlier, we used to have four fast bowlers in the squad with an experience of more than 40 Tests. It doesn't make such a big impact in OneDay or T20 matches, but when you go to Australia, England or South Africa for Tests, experience matters,' Gambhir added. 'These are early days. If we start judging our bowlers after every Test, how will we develop a bowling attack? Apart from Bumrah and Siraj, the others bowlers have quality, which is why they are in this dressing room. But we have got to keep backing them because it's not about one tour. It's about building a fast-bowler battery that can serve India for a long time in Test cricket,' Gambhir said. 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If they want to have a fourth pace option along with two spinners, the only player in the top order who can make way for batting allrounder Nitish Reddy is Karun Nair. With 0 and 20, Nair didn't exactly set the stage on fire, while Nitish's performances in Australia, which included a century at MCG, may be a tempting option for Gambhir and Co. Not sweating over late-order collapses Over two innings, India lost 13 wickets for 72 runs, which made a significant difference in the end. Gambhir conceded that had the team got 550-600 from where they were (431-3) in the first innings, it would have made a difference. 'It's not that they are not applying themselves, they are trying. Yes, those extra runs would have been crucial, but I don't want to blame 9, 10 and 11 for not getting a lot of runs,' Gambhir said. The coach had a point because 471 and 364 should be enough to win a Test match in England. 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First Post
30 minutes ago
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Ravi Shastri sends stern message to coach Gautam Gambhir after Headingley heartbreak: 'You've got to be hard at times'
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