Ben Duckett says it was “tough to watch” England’s struggles at the Cricket World Cup but insists the group-stage exit “does not define a team” as he plans to a play a major role in their new era.
Defending champions England lost six of their first seven matches during a dismal tournament in India as they failed to make the knockout stage, although late wins over Netherlands and Pakistan at least secured qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Just six men from the World Cup squad – captain Jos Buttler, along with Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse – have been included in the group for the three-game ODI series in the West Indies, which starts on Sunday.
Test regular Duckett, 29, is one of the many fresh faces in the white-ball set-up and could win his ninth ODI cap in Antigua this weekend – having scored a century against Ireland on his eighth international 50-over appearance in September.
The batter – whose country also won the T20 World Cup in 2022 during a highly successful period since the 2015 World Cup debacle – said: “I watched every England game [at this year’s World Cup] and it was tough to watch at times.
“I’m watching mates go out there and struggle. It was really difficult. I was playing with them a few weeks before, so it was tough.
“But we have watched how England have played over the past eight years and one bad five weeks does not define a team. It’s probably been the greatest white-ball team.
‘I need to go and prove that I’m good enough to be on this team’
“What they’ve achieved over the past eight years has been incredible. If we can go and play how they have played over the past eight years, or even half as good, that will be an achievement.
“We know how they want to play their cricket and it seems the guys they have picked going into this, the young talent, they go and smack it for their counties and I’m sure they are going to do the same here.
“We’re just a group of players who can go and showcase what we can do. I think for each and every one of us it’s important to perform. I need to go and prove that I’m good enough to be on this team and so do the other guys.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a new approach because of how the World Cup went. They had guys who were potentially in their late 30s and coming towards the end of their 50-over careers, so it seemed like there was always going to be a fresh start after it.”
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Former England captains Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton and Eoin Morgan discuss the team’s poor Cricket World Cup campaign in India
Duckett, who is also in the squad for the five T20 internationals that follow the ODIs added: “I’m genuinely thinking about the next three weeks. I know how difficult it is to stay in a side when there’s this many players.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned over the last 12 to 15 months is not thinking too far ahead. I’ve got to go and score runs this series to get to the next one.
“There’s people banging down the door who aren’t here so, I don’t think I’m a shoo-in for the next four years. I’d be silly to think that.”
Dowrich retires from West Indies duty despite ODI call-up
Duckett will not come up against Shane Dowrich in the Caribbean with the West Indies wicketkeeper-batter announcing his international retirement days before the ODI series.
West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Shane Dowrich has retired from international cricket
The 32-year-old had not played for West Indies since making the last of his 35 Test appearances in December 2020 but seemed poised to add to a solitary ODI cap when he was called in to the 50-over squad off the back of some impressive domestic displays.
Miles Bascombe, the director of cricket for Cricket West Indies, said: “We want to thank Shane for his contribution when he played for West Indies. He is a disciplined, hard-working cricketer who always gave his utmost in front and behind the stumps.
“We respect his decision to retire and appreciate it is not an easy one to make. We wish him all the best as he steps away from the international stage.”
West Indies ODI squad for England series: Shai Hope (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas.
Follow England’s white-ball tour of West Indies with live blogs and reports across skysports.com and the Sky Sports App. The opening ODl is in Antigua on Sunday with the first ball at 1.30pm.
