Ahmedabad, India – England opener Ben Duckett has downplayed the significance of his team’s struggles in India, stating that their primary focus remains on winning the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai.
England have already lost the three-match ODI series against India, trailing 2-0 ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The defeat follows a 4-1 T20 series loss, extending England’s winless run in ODI series in India, which dates back to 1985.
However, Duckett insists that the results in India will be irrelevant if England can turn their fortunes around in the Champions Trophy, which begins later this month.
“We have come here for one thing, and that is to win the Champions Trophy,” Duckett said. “We still believe we can do that. It’ll be completely different conditions and different teams we’ll be up against. If we lose 3-0 to India, I don’t care as long as we beat them in the final of the Champions Trophy.”
England, once the dominant force in limited-overs cricket, have endured a turbulent period following their disastrous 50-over World Cup campaign in 2023 and another underwhelming showing at the T20 World Cup last year. The team is now in a transitional phase under new white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum, who took over after Matthew Mott was sacked last summer.
McCullum, who successfully revolutionized England’s Test side, now faces the challenge of reviving their white-ball fortunes. However, his tenure has started with one of the toughest assignments in world cricket—an away series in India against the reigning T20 world champions.
Despite their struggles, Duckett remains optimistic. “It’s about peaking at the right time,” he said. “We have been close against this India side and we have been nowhere near our best. We will always take positives.”
He also emphasized that England’s dressing room remains united despite the results. “We could dwell, start meetings, and go at each other, but the group under Baz (McCullum) isn’t going to do that. It’s difficult not to get the results here, but hopefully, we can turn it around in Pakistan.”
England will begin their Champions Trophy campaign on February 22 against Australia, followed by group-stage matches against South Africa and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the team has suffered another setback with all-rounder Jacob Bethell being ruled out of both the India tour and the Champions Trophy due to a hamstring injury. Tom Banton has been called up as his replacement and has now joined the squad in India.
The 26-year-old Banton, who has previously played white-ball cricket for England, is expected to be officially confirmed as a member of the Champions Trophy squad in the coming days.
England will be hoping to regroup and gain momentum before heading to Pakistan, where they aim to reclaim their place among the world’s top limited-overs teams.
