Ben Duckett's startlingly aggressive batting against Australia's pace attack at Edgbaston set the tone for England's Bazball-era Ashes campaign, repeatedly taking on Cummins and Starc with reverse sweeps and premeditated strokes that disoriented Australia's plans.
The 2023 Ashes opened at Edgbaston with England's new-look Bazball side immediately testing the patience of Australia's fast bowlers. Ben Duckett, England's left-handed number three, was at the forefront of England's aggressive approach — and the confrontations with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc were compelling viewing.
Duckett's method under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes's coaching was to attack relentlessly from ball one. He came down the pitch, reverse swept off-pace deliveries, attempted to pull deliveries that would conventionally demand respect, and treated the short ball as an invitation rather than a threat. Against a world-class pace attack, this was either courageous or reckless depending on your perspective.
Cummins — Australia's captain and finest bowler — responded with visible frustration when Duckett pulled and scooped him for boundaries. The body language between the two was that of mutual respect mixed with genuine competitive intensity. Starc, bowling with serious pace, was similarly treated as an attacking opportunity rather than someone to be survived.
When Duckett hit sixes off Cummins and Starc, the atmosphere at Edgbaston — one of cricket's most partisan venues — was electric. The Australian fielding positions, set for conventional batting, were made to look redundant by the aggressive strokeplay. England won the first Test, setting the series on fire.
Duckett comes to the crease and immediately attacks Starc with reverse sweep for four
Cummins bowls at Duckett — pulled for six over mid-on, Cummins visibly frustrated
Australian field settings repeatedly exposed — Duckett's unorthodox shots finding gaps
Edgbaston crowd in frenzy as England pile on the runs against world-class pace
England win the first Test — Duckett's approach sets the Ashes tone
“The approach we've been given by Stokesy and Baz is to go out and express yourself. I'm not going to change that for anyone — even if it's Cummins or Starc. You have to back yourself.”
“Duckett played brilliantly. He put us under pressure early and that changes how you plan the rest of the innings. We had to adjust on the go, which you don't always want to do.”
Duckett became a central figure in England's Ashes campaign. His consistency throughout the series as an attacking foil at the top of the order gave England a template for how to unsettle Australia's disciplined pace attack. The series ultimately ended 2-2 — England failed to retain the urn but produced some memorable cricket.
No disciplinary action. England won the first Test. Duckett's aggressive approach was acknowledged as transformative — it defined the mood of the Ashes series from the first morning.
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