In the third Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England opener Ben Duckett produced a commanding performance, shifting the momentum in his team’s favor on day two.

New Zealand had earlier posted a strong total of 438 in their first innings, dominating day one with disciplined batting. However, England responded strongly, led by Duckett’s aggressive and fluent innings at the top of the order.

After the early dismissal of Emilio Gay, Duckett took control of the innings with his trademark attacking style. He was handed an early reprieve when he was dropped on 8, and he made the opposition pay heavily for it. The left-hander went on to score a rapid century off just 88 balls, registering his seventh Test hundred in style before eventually falling for 113 off 99 deliveries.

His innings, built on confident stroke play and sustained pressure on the bowlers, included a crucial 179-run partnership with Jacob Bethell for the second wicket, putting England firmly in command at 223 for 2 by stumps on day two.

The performance also reignited discussion around Duckett’s decision to prioritise red-ball cricket over franchise commitments. Earlier, he had opted out of IPL 2026 to focus on Test cricket and County Championship cricket, a move that meant missing two IPL seasons under the regulations. During that period, he featured in domestic red-ball cricket, scoring heavily with multiple fifties and a double century, which helped him regain consistency and a place in the England setup.

While the decision carried professional risk, his recent form suggests that the focus on long-format cricket has strengthened his Test credentials at a crucial stage of his career.