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Head Checks on Duckett After Noosa Backlash: "Everyone is still human"

Australian batsman Travis Head revealed he personally reached out to England's Ben Duckett following the backlash over a viral social media video from England's trip to Noosa. Head emphasized that players are "still human" and defended their right to personal time, despite the high-profile nature of their lives. The incident occurred during England's break between Tests, a trip already under investigation by team management for reported heavy drinking. Amidst this off-field drama, England later secured a remarkable two-day Test victory in Melbourne, preventing an Ashes series whitewash.

Key Points: Head Reached Out to Duckett After Noosa Video Backlash

  • Head's supportive message to Duckett
  • England's Noosa trip under scrutiny
  • Viral social media video controversy
  • England's chaotic Melbourne Test victory
2 min read

Head reveals he reached out to Duckett after Noosa backlash 'to see if he was going alright'

Travis Head reveals he checked on Ben Duckett after a viral video from England's Noosa trip. Read about the Ashes controversy and England's chaotic Melbourne win.

"I get on with Ducky well and reached out to him to see if he was going alright. Everyone is still human. - Travis Head"

Melbourne, Dec 28

Australia opener Travis Head said he reached out to England's Ben Duckett after a social media video surfaced before the Melbourne Test that appeared to show Duckett intoxicated.

England's managing director, Rob Key, had mentioned that the board had initiated an investigation following reports of players drinking heavily during a break in Noosa, a beach town, between the second and third Tests.

A viral social media video also appeared to show England opener Duckett intoxicated, prompting increased scrutiny of the team and the batter in particular.

"I get on with Ducky well and reached out to him to see if he was going alright. Everyone is still human. What you do in your personal time is up to you. I know we live a high profile life and some people are more high profile than others. At the end of the day, it is a bit stiff but I don't think there is any real issue."

England's four-night trip to Noosa followed their 2-0 deficit in the Ashes series, after losses in Perth and Brisbane.

It was reported that several players spent a significant amount of their time drinking on the Queensland coast and also on two prior days in Brisbane, where the second Test was held.

Although England played the second Test better than the Ashes opener, they lost the following Test in Adelaide, which led to Australia winning the series.

England ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia and prevented an Ashes clean sweep during a remarkable and bizarre two-day Test in Melbourne. During one of the most unusual matches in cricket history, England needed 175 runs to win on the second evening of the fourth Test, bringing the series to 3-1 ahead of the final match in Sydney.

In tough batting conditions, England's Bazballers thrived in the chaos, finally finding a situation in Australia that suited their freewheeling style. They achieved their target in 33 overs, with England's four-wicket win thrilling the thousands of travelling fans who now have something to celebrate after a largely disappointing tour.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While Head's gesture is nice, the real issue is professional discipline. England were 2-0 down in an Ashes series! Going on a drinking spree between Tests shows a lack of seriousness. Our Indian team would never... the focus would be on training and strategy.
A
Aman W
Honestly, these players are under immense pressure on a long tour. A few drinks in their off time? It's normal. The media and social media make it a bigger deal than it is. The Melbourne win proved it didn't affect their game.
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Sarah B
The "Bazball" win in Melbourne was insane! Maybe the chaos off the field fueled the chaos they needed to play that way on it. Sometimes breaking the routine works. But still, not a great look for the management to allow it.
V
Vikram M
As an Indian fan, this is a bit amusing. We always hear about the "hard drinking" culture in Aussie and English cricket. Maybe it's part of their team bonding? Different strokes for different folks. Our players seem to bond over chai and biryani instead! 😄
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Karthik V
The scrutiny is too much. They are adults on a break. The real story is that incredible two-day Test! What a match that must have been to watch live. England finally showed some fight.

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