Ben Duckett wants to show he has learned from mistakes on England's tour of India
Saturday 28 January 2017 23:22, UK
Ben Duckett is keen to prove he has learned the lessons of a punishing Test tour of India.
The Northamptonshire batsman went into the tour of the sub-continent with a reputation as a good player of spin, something that seemed to be supported by an impressive 56 against Bangladesh in the second Test defeat in Dhaka.
Faults in Duckett's technique were cruelly exposed when England moved on to India, however, despite a promising start.
By the time England finished the Test series as 4-0 losers against India, Duckett had been dropped as both a red and white-ball player following three Test failures against world No 1 bowler Ravi Ashwin.
The 22-year-old tried and failed to follow skipper Alastair Cook's instructions on how to save the second Test in Visakhapatnam - which ended in a 246-run victory for the hosts - despite his more attacking nature.
"In the last innings I had, Cookie spoke to us - 'we're going to try to bat all day here, whether it's 20 (runs) off 160 (balls)'," said Duckett.
I went out there as a good player of spin - that's what people were saying - and coming back, I've been told I've got plenty to work on.
"That isn't my game, [but] I did try to do what we were asked. My way of batting for the draw is actually trying to get 120 off 160.
"I was on the verge of getting dropped ... [but] I did what the captain said.
"I think in India, Bangladesh, you have a lot of time to sit in your room - there's not as much to do - and you can't really get away from it.
"You go on your phone and your name's there, and you almost think 'I'm getting dropped' before you even are.
"I think, going into that last innings, maybe my mindset was already 'I'm gone here' - rather than 'No, actually, I'm going to get 130 and draw us this game, be a hero'."
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Despite enduring a tough start to his international career, the 22-year-old is keen to learn from his experiences in India to try and improve as a player.
"If I got another chance to play for England, [I don't think] I'd necessarily listen to as many people outside of cricket," he added.
"It is easy to go 'Hang on, I'm a rubbish player of spin'. If people are talking about it, then you sometimes believe it. I started to believe it ... that's the worst thing you can do.
"Cookie asked me when I actually got dropped: 'What can we do to prepare someone like you that's coming in again?'
"I said: 'Well, I don't really think you can' because county cricket - the pressure of that - is nothing like when you're playing [for] England, with however many people watching you, judging you.
"The only solution is to dig in, mentally and technically.
"I went out there as a good player of spin - that's what people were saying - and coming back, I've been told I've got plenty to work on.
"But I definitely think, in a strange way, I've come back from it as a better player of spin."
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