Kevin Pietersen attacks Ben Duckett for his 'Don't care if England lose 0-3 to India' statement

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen criticized Ben Duckett for his controversial comments before the third ODI against India, set to be played in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 12. Kevin Pietersen stated that such remarks should never be made by Ben Duckett, calling them unacceptable.

England lost the first two ODIs by four-wicket margins in India. The Jos Buttler-led team showed some improvement with the bat in the second match, but their bowling performance was below par. India secured the series with a victory in Cuttack, where England posted a total of 304 but failed to defend it.

If We Lose 3-0 to India, I Don't Care As Long As... - Ben Duckett

Ben Duckett stirred controversy by dismissing the significance of losing the ongoing series. He stated that he wouldn't mind if England lost 0-3 to India, as long as they triumphed over them in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. His comments angered former England players, including Kevin Pietersen.

"We have come here for one thing and that is to win the Champions Trophy. If we lose 3-0 to India, I don't care as long as we beat them in the final of the Champions Trophy. It's about peaking at the right time," Duckett told Sky Sports.

Those Words Should NOT Have Been Said! NEVER - Kevin Pietersen

In response to Duckett's comments, Pietersen said that context is important but emphasized that such remarks are never acceptable. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that it was poor for Duckett to say he didn’t mind if England lost 3-0 to India, as long as they won the Champions Trophy.

Goodness me, it’s pretty poor that Duckett would say that he doesn’t care if England lose today and lose 3-0 to India.
Context is important when reading quotes, but those words should NOT have been said!
NEVER!

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 12, 2025

"Goodness me, it's pretty poor that Duckett would say that he doesn't care if England lose today and lose 3-0 to India. Context is important when reading quotes, but those words should NOT have been said! NEVER!" Kevin Pietersen wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Ben Duckett is England's top run-scorer in the three-match series, scoring 97 runs across two innings. He scored a crucial 65 in the second ODI, helping England reach a total of 300 runs. Duckett will be looking to finish the series strong as England prepares for the highly anticipated Champions Trophy.

India Playing Their First ODI in Ahmedabad Since 2023 World Cup Final

Talking about the third ODI, the visiting team won the toss and chose to bowl first in Ahmedabad. England have played two ODIs at this venue during the 2023 World Cup but lost both. For India, this is their first game at the stadium since their heartbreaking loss to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final.

England made one change, with Tom Banton replacing Jamie Overton in the XI. On the other hand, Team India made three changes. Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh came in for Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, and Varun Chakravarthy. Jadeja and Shami were rested for this match.

Also read: Ajit Agarkar ruled out Jasprit Bumrah out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite being fit