New Delhi, Nov 11 (NationPress) England's opener Ben Duckett has labeled Ben Stokes as the ‘most vital’ member of their squad. He mentioned that the all-rounder has been putting in extraordinary effort in his training, unlike anything Duckett has witnessed from the English Test captain before.

Stokes is set to captain England in the upcoming five-match Ashes series, kicking off at the Optus Stadium in Perth on November 21. Duckett expressed his hopes for Stokes to maintain his fitness throughout the series, emphasizing that he is ‘critical’ for the team.

“We’ve only been here a few days and he’s been in beast mode. He’s been running, bowling in two spells, and batting for two hours. The way he trains is something I’ve never seen. He’s undoubtedly the most crucial player when he’s bowling. I hope he stays fit for all five tests because he’s vital for us,” Duckett shared on the Willow Talk podcast.

Duckett believes that England will enter the Ashes with minimal ‘baggage’ and noted that their aggressive approach in Test cricket is evolving beyond what has been perceived as recklessness. As one of the eleven players in England's squad who have yet to play Test cricket in Australia, Duckett pointed out that the team's average age is 28, in contrast to the home team’s 33. In Perth, the players were greeted by amusing headlines from local newspapers, but Duckett remarked on their warm reception.

“I saw the other day that I’m the fourth oldest, which was hard to accept. We have a young group here with little baggage, which should benefit us. I’m excited for the challenge. It’s tough for touring sides here, and I’m not setting any specific targets. I know I’ll be facing one of the best bowling attacks in their home conditions,” he added.

Pat Cummins will miss the Ashes opener as he recovers from a lumbar stress injury, but there’s optimism he’ll be fit for the second Test at the Gabba, having participated in an intense training session at the SCG.

“You want to compete against the best, and it’s unfortunate when top players miss out. However, as an opening batter facing him, it's a slight advantage for us,” he commented.

A major discussion point leading up to the series is how Bazball will adjust to Australian conditions. Duckett highlighted that both he and the team are refining their approach to be more adaptable.

He explained that the strategy under Brendon McCullum has shifted to focus on recognizing critical moments in the game instead of playing with reckless abandon. McCullum encourages him to understand when to play conservatively — for instance, surviving a challenging period late in the day instead of chasing quick runs — stressing that maturity and awareness are as crucial as intent.

“It’s now about reading the moments. (Brendon McCullum) tells me that I’m a better player than just scoring 40 off 30. For example, in Perth, we might have five overs at the end of the day where surviving is more important than runs,” he articulated.

He also emphasized that the team aspires to move beyond being labeled as merely entertaining or reckless. Reflecting on his own experiences, Duckett expressed his frustration at scoring quick runs that didn’t contribute to the team’s position. The new mindset focuses on balancing positivity with awareness — knowing when to attack and when to stabilize — to transform strong starts into significant, match-defining scores.

“We’re aiming to not just be an entertaining team, which has frustrated me in the past. I could score 80 off 60, but that didn’t help the team. It’s about recognizing situations and converting them into substantial scores. This is the direction we want to head as a team,” he concluded.