Opener Ben Duckett smashed an 88-ball hundred to lead England’s robust reply to India’s first innings total of 445 on day two of the third Test in Rajkot on Friday. Ben Duckett‘s 133 not out off 118 balls, which contained two sixes and 21 fours, powered England to 207-2 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Ravichandran Ashwin became the second Indian bowler, after Anil Kumble, to claim 500 Test wickets but it was otherwise a day of hard toil for India as England scored nearly at a run-a-ball rate.
Ravichandran Ashwin had almost sealed Ben Duckett’s Test career when the left-handed batsman last visited India during England’s tour in 2016. Ben Duckett had looked clueless before Ashwin here in Rajkot and also in Visakhapatnam, as the off-spinner had dismissed him on all three occasions in that series.
Ashwin again hogged the limelight on Friday at the Niranjan Shah Stadium by taking his Test tally of wickets to 500. But the man who stole the show on Day 2 of the third Test is none other than Duckett (133 batting) with his fearless century, which took England to 207/2 at stumps in response to India’s formidable 445.
Ben Duckett in a beast mode
Three hours later, however, Ashwin followed his way to 500 test wickets Ben Duckett off the field at the close of day two. Ashwin had indeed claimed that one precious wicket, Zak Crawley, albeit for the concession of 37 runs in seven overs. Duckett, meanwhile, had 133 from just 118 balls in his back pocket. This might have been Ashwin’s party, but Duckett had taken the cake.
It was an oversight from Rohit Sharma to only bring Ashwin on against Duckett when the opener had 55. Not just because of the last few weeks but also because of their history, dating back to England’s 2016-17 tour.
Ben Duckett has long made his peace with his chastening experience seven years ago of averaging six from three innings. He arrived this time around with the phlegmatic perspective that, of course, Ashwin would get him a few more times. But he is better equipped to give a bit back. And how.
The tale between the two was of 28 runs scored off 27 balls. Duckett’s first of four boundaries against Ashwin was a good-length delivery turning into middle and off, swept way in front of square, with the front pad comfortably outside leg. The next boundary was arguably the shot of the day: Duckett pushing onto the back foot and playing a turning delivery off the surface, threading it through wide mid-on. It was a ball he would have fearfully pressed forward to back in 2016.
The real kicker came when the last half of Ashwin’s penultimate over was taken for 13. A slog-sweep for six over cow corner was followed by another slap for four through the same region. It was at that point Ashwin took a backward step, moving the man from point to plug the gap.
A flatter straighter ball was then flicked around the corner to take Duckett to 92.
The evening session drinks break came and Ashwin was hooked, eventually reintroduced for the final over of the day. He thought he had his man lbw three deliveries from the end, only for DRS to confirm the ball had pitched outside leg stump.
Sure, Duckett would have felt sweet liberation had he reached his century off Ashwin. He did at least send him to fetch the gorgeous on-drive off Mohammad Siraj that took him to a third Test hundred off just 88 deliveries. Not that Duckett noticed, fist-pumping as soon as he realised it was on its way to the sponge, looking to the heavens before saluting a dressing-room chuffed that one who plays so selflessly was getting his moment in the sun.
It’s important to state this was much more than Duckett versus Ashwin. This was Duckett versus India. Duckett versus the situation. Duckett versus perception. Duckett versus the past.
A mammoth first innings cast a deep shadow over England, yet Duckett’s work providing more than 64 percent of their overnight 207 for 2 – has given them a glimpse of light, trailing by just 238 going into day three. India’s 119 runs ground out over 44.5 overs this morning were matched by Duckett alone in just 99 balls.
A six-over mini-session before tea offered the rainbows and rain that come with Duckett’s territory. There were four boundaries but also five plays and misses three coming in a single over against Siraj. In any other team you’d have expected a stern word was had at the break, given what followed. But the only message Bazball’s most natural disciple was ever going to get was: “Keep doing you”.
And he did. Whether top-spin-forehand-ing Siraj through cover from a tight fourth-stump line, or sweeping and reverse-sweeping Kuldeep Yadav to provide 40 of England’s fifty as early as 8.4 overs, or punching a full ball outside off from Jasprit Bumrah inside mid-on for a 19th boundary to move to 97, this was liquid Duckett.
Even Rohit cracked a smile when he switched hands and launched Ravindra Jadeja over the fence at point for his 23rd and final boundary of day two. How do you stop this? It’s worth noting that, through the maelstrom of wrists and forearms, there was an inordinate amount of control. Only 14 of those initial 88 deliveries to get him to three figures were logged as mis-hits, and none of his first 20 boundaries were edged.
Duckett’s record under Ben Stokes right now reads an impressive 1,260 runs at an average of 54.78, scored at a strike rate of 92.24. After a run of six starts between 20 and 48 in his last six knocks, he now has the showpiece innings they promised, with the third fastest recorded Test century by a visiting batter in India. Only Adam Gilchrist (84) and Clive Lloyd (85) managed quicker
Ben Duckett’s rise to English ranks
Six years prior to his recall to the Test side for last winter’s tour of Pakistan, Duckett had thought all this was beyond him. In 2018 he had undergone a pre-season hand operation, but a foolish return for Northamptonshire – four weeks ahead of schedule – almost irreparably changed his batting grip. That was eventually remedied in the 2020-21 winter with the help of his Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores and assistant Ant Botha. By then, he assumed he had fallen out of the England loop.
A penchant for a good time earned him a reputation as unprofessional, especially after a couple of notable missteps during the 2017-18 Ashes. As a member of the Lions tour that ran parallel to the main event, he missed a tour match for pouring a drink over James Anderson and accidentally threw up on Trevor Bayliss when hungover on a plane. It was far from ideal (though in his defence, he didn’t start the former incident) but it seemed his card had been marked permanently for mistakes that most 23-year-old are guilty of making.
What we have seen over the last 15 months, and especially on the second day in Rajkot, is not simply maturity but a player who has grown while retaining his youthful flair. It is a hell of a combination, and one that does not happen – or can be maintained – by accident.
The ability to keep striking boundaries across 35 overs after spending 130.5 in the dirt, during which he often conversed with Stokes on tactics, was a remarkable blend of attacking zeal and aerobic fitness. As of now, Duckett has been on the field for every moment of the first two days of this Test.
Former Indian cricketer now commentator Aakash Chopra is in awe of this Bazball approach by England and has now praised Ben Duckett.
Indian commentator Aakash Chopra in all praise of Ben Duckett and England’s Bazball approach
Aakash Chopra reckons England’s destructive batting in their first innings of the third Test against India gave the hosts the real taste of Bazball.
England bowled India out for 445 a few overs before Tea on the second day in Rajkot on Friday, February 16. The visitors then carted the Indian bowlers all around the park, smashing 207/2 in just 35 overs.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that England gave a perfect demonstration of Bazball.
“The second and third sessions were in England’s name. They were seen totally dominating. Who said you can’t bat like this in Test cricket? This is our first-hand experience that Bazball is like this, we were hit for almost six runs per over,” he said
The former India opener added that England’s approach made it seem that the hosts posted a below-par total.
“Whoever came kept hitting and said that the pitch is extremely flat, that you might have scored 445 but that’s not going to be enough because you have still left 125 runs on the pitch, and that this was actually a 550 to 575-run pitch,” he stated.
Chopra noted that the England batters are playing spin better than the hosts. He added that Ben Stokes and company could take a 200-run lead if they bat the entire third day.
Ben Duckett’s masterclass innings gives England advantage
Aakash Chopra chose Ben Duckett as the star performer of the day.
“The most terrific player was Ben Duckett. Only fours and sixes were written in Ben Duckett’s bucket. This team has played five innings and in four of those innings, they have had an opening partnership of more than 50. It was 89 this time, in which only he was hitting because Zak Crawley played extremely slow,” he elaborated
The reputed commentator noted that the left-handed opener had a clear game plan against both pace and spin.
“He (Crawley) didn’t score too many runs but Ben Duckett came with an extremely clear approach. He hits fours even if you give a little room outside off-stump, that was against the fast bowlers. He came after taking an oath that he would play the sweep or switch sweep as soon as the spinners came,” Chopra explained.
Duckett has struck 21 fours and two sixes during his unbeaten 133-run knock. He stitched together an 89-run opening-wicket partnership with Zak Crawley (15) before adding 93 runs for the second wicket with Ollie Pope (39) to put England in a great position heading into the third day.
Should Ben Duckett keep up that streak until tea on Day 3, England might expect to have a lead. Even with Joe Root at the other end, desperate to arrest his slump, and with an equally hungry Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes to come, Duckett continuing this rampage is England’s best hope of keeping a win on the table. Few could have produced an innings like this, and fewer still have the capacity to do it all over again on day three, and turn it into a truly once-in-a-lifetime event.