'Nothing from Bumrah will surprise me': Ben Duckett does not spare Jasprit, Shami in 'England will beat India' remark

India head coach Gautam Gambhir shut his critics after guiding the Rohit Sharma-led side to a Champions Trophy haul in Dubai earlier this month, but he has yet to prove himself in Test cricket, with the next big assignment being the tour of England. Ahead of the five-match series, slated to be held in June, England opener Ben Duckett backed his side to add to India's woes, saying they "should" win the contest. Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah

India have toured England 19 times in history since their first visit in 1932, but managed to claim just three series wins in the country, the last being in 2007. In 2021, the Virat Kohli-led side did take a fabulous 2-1 lead after the first four games on the tour, before the fifth and final tie was cancelled due to a Covid outbreak in the Indian camp. The match was rescheduled a year later in Birmingham, where England won to deny India a historic series win.

Speaking to Mail Sport, Duckett predicted a similar fate for India in the 2025 series. "India at home is very different to India away. It's a side I feel we should beat and we can beat. It'll be a good series," he said.

'Nothing from Bumrah will surprise me'

Duckett also opened up on the challenge of facing Jasprit Bumrah, saying that he is no longer a surprise for him and that he is adept at taking on both the India star and Mohammed Shami.

"I've faced him in a five-Test series before. I know what he's going to do to me, and the good thing about that is I know what skills he has," said Duckett. "There's going to be nothing that surprises me. It's going to be challenging, and the red-ball skills of Mohammed Shami are just as threatening as Bumrah. But if I can get through that opening spell, I feel there are runs to be had."

Bumrah and Duckett met in the winter of 2024/25, when England had toured India. The 31-year-old capped off an impressive series, picking 19 wickets at 16.89, but dismissed Duckett just once, that too after he had made 47 runs in that game. The England opener was also the team's second-highest run-getter, with 343 runs, after Zak Crawley's 407. In fact, 63 of those runs came against Bumrah during the series. On the other hand, he faced Shami back in 2016/17, where he scored just 18 runs against the right-armer without getting dismissed.

The five-match contest, which will mark the beginning of the 2025/27 World Test Championship cycle, will be played between June 20 and the first week of August.

Click here to read article