Ben Duckett: England's Virender Sehwag? Ex-Coach David Lloyd Draws Bold Comparison

Saturday - 26/07/2025 03:01

Former England coach David Lloyd has likened Ben Duckett's aggressive batting style to that of Virender Sehwag, highlighting Duckett's proficiency with the reverse sweep. Duckett's school coach, James Knott, revealed that his attacking flair was nurtured from a young age, stemming from his hockey background.

Former England cricketer and coach David Lloyd has drawn a parallel between Ben Duckett and former Indian aggressive opener Virender Sehwag.

Ben Duckett in action during the Test match

England's Ben Duckett plays a shot on day five of the first cricket test match between England and India at Headingley in Leeds, England, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

In his column for the Daily Mail, Lloyd commented on Duckett's transformation: "Ben Duckett has come a long way since he poured a drink over Jimmy Anderson on an Ashes tour." He further stated, "He is now England’s answer to Virender Sehwag and is opening the batting in your World XI. The reverse sweep is such a natural shot for him. He plays it for fun."

Lloyd also highlighted Duckett's sporting background, noting, "It’s no surprise to learn he was a good hockey player at school because it’s like a hockey shot."

Ben Duckett press conference: What makes Jasprit Bumrah dangerous and more

James Knott, Duckett's batting coach during his time at Stowe School, shed light on the player's proficiency with the reverse sweep.

Knott told The Times, “I’d seen better technical ability at that age, but he hit the ball very hard and had already begun reverse-sweeping, which he took from hockey.” He added, “We worked on orthodox sweeping and laps, and midway through his time at Stowe, the school acquired a Merlyn spin-bowling machine. In one match, against Brighton College from Australia, Ben went from 100 to 150 entirely through reverse-sweeps."

Watching Test cricket in England: Ticket prices, food options, museum and all about Headingley

Knott emphasized the importance of nurturing Duckett's aggressive style: “Certainly, I didn’t want to take away his attacking flair. And although he had a big hunger for runs, he was not selfish." He also noted Duckett's desire to open the batting, stating, "He wanted to open the batting as school cricket was not going to be much of a challenge if he was coming in at No. 4. That was the best thing to happen to him."

Knott concluded, "I thought he’d have a longer career in the shorter forms of the game and wasn’t sure if he would be successful at Test level, but Ben Stokes and ‘Baz’ McCullum arrived at just the right time for him.”

Duckett played a remarkable innings of 149, contributing significantly to the team's successful chase of 371 runs on the final day of the Leeds Test.