Former England opener Alastair Cook on Friday heaped praises on centurion Ben Duckett. Duckett took the attack to the opposition on the 2nd day of the IND vs ENG 3rd Test. He did so in front of an accomplished Indian bowling line up and at a time when England were in desperate need of a good innings after India scored 445 in the first innings.
Duckett was at his aggressive best on Friday, smashing the Indian bowlers all around the park. He rarely put a foot wrong during his innings. Duckett played sweeps and reverse sweeps at will to ensure England finished Day 2 with some momentum. Duckett completed his century in just 88 balls and remained not out at 133 at the end of day’s play. His knock had 21 boundaries and two sixes.
It’s been extraordinary: Alastair Cook
Cook, speaking on TNT after the end of day’s play, said Duckett made Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja not know where to bowl.
“Ben Duckett has made a guy [Ravi Ashwin] who has taken 500 Test wickets, who we’ve been saying is the best bowler in the world in all formats, not know where to bowl. It’s been extraordinary. It’s all well and good saying I’m going to be aggressive and positive. But actually the skill level Ben Duckett showed playing those sweeps against [Ravi] Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja is out of this world,” Cook said.
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“Wherever they put the fielder he hits a shot where they’re not there. That’s obviously the art of batting but jeez that’s very hard to actually do. The sweeping, I’d love to know how he actually does it. It was a real pleasure to watch an English batsman to take it to this great Indian bowling lineup. It made them not know where to go. I think they panicked a little bit [and it’s] the confrontational nature of Bazball,” Cook added.
