14 July,2026 08:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Ben Duckett. Pic/AP, PTI
Though England outclassed India 4-0 in the recent T20I series, their wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Duckett believes the Shubman Gill-led ODI team will pose a few challenges since they have Virat Kohli, Rohit Shama and Jasprit Bumrah in their ranks. The three-match ODI series starts at Birmingham today.
"Any side with Rohit, Virat Kohli and Jasprit is always going to be extremely tough to beat. They're three of the greatest players to ever play this format. We know how strong Shubman is coming back in as well. There's a lot of class in that side. But it's not players that we haven't played against so I'm sure [our] bowlers will have plans for them," Duckett said during a select media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network on the eve of the first ODI on Monday.
Duckett, who has scored 1345 runs in 34 ODIs so far with his attacking batting, insists Harry Brook & Co have plans to counter the Bumrah-led Indian bowling attack. "He [Bumrah] is probably the best all-format bowler in the world. Any Indian side with Bumrah playing is a challenge. But we have certain plans around him and the rest of the side," added Duckett.
When mid-day asked Duckett if England are confident they can replicate their recent T20I performance in ODIs, Duckett replied: "We have to focus on England cricket and have the belief that we can take the form from the T20 [series] into this [ODI] series. We've also got world-class players - Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Joe Root - guys who have scored a lot of runs for England. Obviously, Jofra [Archer], Josh Tongue, those guys are bowling extremely well. So, yeah, we just believe we can go out there and win this week."
