Leeds [UK], June 24 : Former captain Nasser Hussain believes Ben Duckett is already right up in the conversation of the best all-time Test cricketer following his 149-run blitzkrieg on day five of the first Test against India.
In pursuit of a 371-run target, Duckett bossed India's beleaguered pace troika by unleashing a barrage of malicious strokes. He kept the tempo high with a smorgasbord of shots and pushed India's back against the wall.
He dazzled with a swashbuckling 149 from 170 deliveries and left England in a commanding situation in their quest to open the series on a triumphant note.
"Duckett is right up there in the conversation of the best all-time Test cricketer. He was very calm, and the shots he was playing were great. His reverse sweep was incredible," Hussain said on Sky Sports.
"I think India got the field wrong to him. Crawley and Duckett make an outstanding combination with their different styles and heights," he added.
Fortune stood by Duckett's side when he strolled past 90. He tried to pull Siraj but couldn't get the desired connection and dispatched it straight towards Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was enduring a torrid time on the field.
The young southpaw was guilty of spilling three chances in the first innings and was found culpable yet again. With eyes fixated on the ball, Jaiswal positioned himself but floored it, allowing Duckett to enjoy an unprecedented lifeline on 97, leaving Siraj completely dismayed.
He made the most of his second life and pulled out a reverse sweep from his loaded arsenal to send the ball racing past the boundary rope for a four. Duckett leapt in the air and punched his fist in jubilation under the cloudy sky of Headingley.
The flamboyant star became only the second opener after former captain Alastair Cook in 30 years to score twin 50-plus scores in a Headingley Test. His exploits at the crease ended after getting deceived by Shardul Thakur's pace and holed it to Nitish Kumar Reddy.
In 34 Tests, Duckett has garnered 2621, averaging 43.68 while striking at a healthy rate of 86.19, including 14 half-centuries and six hundreds.