Ben Duckett has acknowledged that England's cricket team has faced criticism for player conduct and stated that the focus must now be on winning matches.

"People are going to be on our case for a while and rightly so: we’ve made that very easy for them," Duckett told Daily Mail Sport. He added that while off-field issues concern a small percentage of the group, the entire team and management face scrutiny. Duckett also noted that as a senior player, he feels a responsibility to help alleviate the pressure on captain Joe Root.

"Rooty can’t speak on behalf of everyone all the time," Duckett said. "He’s England captain right now and he’s taking a lot of stick in the media on behalf of England cricket. It’s up to me, Brooky and a few of the other guys to take some of that off his plate and help lead as much as we can."

Duckett's commitment to Test cricket was underscored by his decision to turn down a £200,000 contract with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in March. He chose instead to dedicate himself to improving his red-ball game, a decision that was rewarded with a century against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

"I could very easily have gone to the IPL, earned a bit more money, come back to England pretty tired and not scored that Test hundred," Duckett stated. "Ultimately, those decisions should show people how much it means to play for England. I’ve got zero regrets. I want to play as many games as I can for England, and that’s my priority."

Duckett is nearing his 50th cap for England, but the opening partnership remains a point of discussion, particularly for Emilio Gay, who has averaged 23 in his first five Tests. Duckett expressed sympathy for Gay, given the challenging pitches England has played on.

"It’s tough," Duckett said. "Because I certainly wouldn’t want to come in at the start of my career and bat on the pitches we have done this summer."

He advised Gay to play his natural game. "My biggest advice for Emilio is don't try to be anyone else. He’s been picked for a reason: the way he bats, the time he bats, the hundreds he scores. So I said to him: “Just play the exact way you got into this team.”"

Duckett, who turns 32 next month, believes his age and experience have helped him manage the transition to a new opening partner after three years with Zak Crawley, and to move past a disappointing Ashes series where he averaged 20. "I’m batting at the top of the order against the best bowlers every time I go out there," he said. "Maybe the Ashes would have affected me more if I were younger. I’d have probably lost belief."

He emphasized that he does not intend to alter his established batting methods, which have resulted in nearly 3,500 Test runs. "If I tried to be someone else in… let’s call it a new era, then I don’t think I’d perform as well. I know at the age I am how I’m going to get the best out of myself."

Duckett was speaking at a Tyrrells event at Edgbaston. Tyrrells Crisps are the official snack partner of the England men's and women's Test teams.