Did Ben Duckett sledge Yashasvi Jaiswal during IND vs ENG Test series? English batsman reveals

England's stylish batter Ben Duckett has finally addressed the backlash that erupted following his remarks on India's rising star, Yashasvi Jaiswal, during the Test series earlier this year.

Duckett had indirectly downplayed Jaiswal's stunning century in the Rajkot Test, sparked a storm of criticism, with the Indian fans and even cricketing legends slamming the England player for his statement.

His comment had been perceived as an attempt to claim undue credit for the young Indian opener, Jaiswal.

The controversy began when Duckett, after Jaiswal's blistering century on Day 3 in Rajkot, said that England's aggressive approach in Test cricket had inspired Team India to adopt a similar mindset.

Ben Duckett responds to criticism over remarks on Yashasvi Jaiswal

Duckett, with his statement, made in the heat of competition, highlighted the influence of England's revolutionary basketball style under the dynamic leadership of Ben Stokes and the visionary coaching of Brendon McCullum.

However, it quickly backfired, with Indian fans seeing it as an overconfident attempt to diminish the sheer talent and hard work of their players, especially Jaiswal. The backlash was swift and fierce.

Social media erupted with angry posts, with fans accusing Duckett of arrogance and attempting to hijack India's moment of glory.

Adding fuel to the fire, former England captains Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton also publicly criticized Duckett, suggesting that his comments were ill-timed and had crossed a line, undermining the achievement of Jaiswal.

Well, Duckett has now broken his silence on the past criticism, offering a different perspective on the matter.

Expressing frustration that his words were taken out of context, the England batter revealed that his remarks were not intended to demean Jaiswal's achievements but rather to compliment the Indian cricket team on their aggressive approach in Test cricket.

He added that his remarks were just meant to acknowledge the influence that England's bold and fearless style of play has had on the global level, and it is not about taking credit away from anyone, and it was an honest compliment to Jaiswal and the Indian team.

It was actually me paying him a nice compliment: Duckett on Jaiswal

Ben Duckett was quoted as saying by The Daily Mail: “It was actually me paying him a nice compliment. I’m pretty sure I said he was a world-class player, but no one spoke about that. Would I have said what I did during the fifth test? No, because he played like that throughout the whole series, and he was incredible.”

Notably, since Brendon McCullum took charge as the head coach, England has suffered only one series defeat in Test cricket, and they are now aiming to secure a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final.

England has not yet reached the WTC final, while India qualified for the finals on both occasions.

The England Test team is currently gearing up to take on Sri Lanka in the three-match Test series at home. The Test series opener will be played at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester from August 21.

The second Test between Sri Lanka and England will be played on August 29 at Lord's, followed by the third Test on September 6 at The Oval in Kennington.