Amidst the backdrop of the highly anticipated Ashes series, the performance of England opener Ben Duckett holds significant importance. Whether the prestigious Ashes urn is on the line or not, and regardless of the presence of a world-class fast bowler or any juice in the wicket due to overnight rain, Duckett remains a prominent figure in the Bazball revolution.
Since January 2022, when Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum assumed charge, Duckett’s batting prowess has been remarkable, boasting a strike rate of over 90. This places him second on the list of batters worldwide who have played a minimum of 15 Test innings, just behind the top-ranked Harry Brook, who has a strike rate of 91.
As the Ashes 2023 series approaches its conclusion with the fifth and final Test at The Oval, Duckett’s performance has been slightly below his remarkable Bazball strike rate of the previous year. In the first four Tests of this series, he achieved a strike rate of 72.
Unfazed by the challenging conditions posed by the Australian pace bowling trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, the left-handed batsman continued to showcase his attacking, aggressive, and commanding style.
Ben Duckett, how dare you! 🔥👏 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/pwcpWkLriF
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 27, 2023
England being inserted to bat first by Cummins due to the cloud cover, moisture, and the bouncy nature of the Oval pitch didn’t deter him. With remarkable determination, he maintained a swift scoring rate, going a little over run-a-ball during the first hour on Day 1.