In his first exclusive blog for Sky Sports from India, Ben Duckett praises Stuart Broad ahead of his 100th Test, takes a silver medal in a team FIFA tournament, and talks questionable haircuts… Wednesdays first Test against India cant come soon enough. [url=http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Kieran-Tripp

In his first exclusive blog for Sky Sports from India, Ben Duckett praises Stuart Broad ahead of his 100th Test, takes a silver medal in a team FIFA tournament, and talks questionable haircuts… Wednesdays first Test against India cant come soon enough. Kieran Trippier Jersey .Weve been in Rajkot for the last couple of days now; the intensity of our training has picked up and were all just buzzing for the first Test. Weve got a great squad out here, and everyones very positive ahead of the series. Weve been warmly welcomed at our team hotel with a big picture featuring all of the guys, though for some reason theyve chosen a picture of me from when I was about 18!Zafar Ansari has also come out of it badly - like me, he has a questionable haircut on show. But I dont think anyone is too happy with their photo, to be honest.Stuart Broad is set to play in his 100th Test this week, and for a guy like me, on his first England tour, he has been such a great example; he has been extremely welcoming, and is really easy to talk to. Stuart Broad celebrates his 100th Test for England if picked to play against India in Rajkot I wasnt sure what to expect before I came out here. There are obviously some players who Ive never played with or against before. But after just a few weeks, I already feel like I know the guys really well, Theres no pecking order, no cliques. Everyone just gets on really well.Weve also got a team room in the hotel in which weve had FIFA tournaments going on, or table tennis. I somehow came runner-up to Jos Buttler in the first FIFA tournament - I have no idea how I managed to do that. Jos Buttler took the honours in the first England team FIFA tournament of the tour Since the disappointing end to the Bangladesh series in Dhaka, it has been nice to have some time off, and bond a bit more as a team.Its obviously going to be a difficult series in Indias backyard, like it was in Bangladesh, with spin again likely to feature heavily, though there might be a bit more for the seamers on these surfaces.Ravichandran Ashwin is a quality bowler, and has been very successful in Test cricket. Ravindra Jadeja, too, is going to be very difficult to play against. Indian offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin (right) is set to play a big part in the Test series against England But when England have been at their best in the past against other top-class spinners - against Shane Warne in the Ashes, for example - is when theyve taken the attack to those guys, tried to put them under pressure.Thats what I felt like I did well in my final innings in Bangladesh; Id been getting out stuck on the crease a little bit, but then in that last innings, I played my game - swept the ball positively against the spinners. Ben Duckett (R) on his way through to a first Test fifty in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka You spend a lot of time imagining making your Test debut for England, you play things out in your head, the first over against seam etc - and then you get the surprise of spin first ball!I was slightly under prepared for that, but you have to adapt. Thats life in international cricket.As Alastair Cook said, they were some of the toughest wickets he has played on in his career, so it wasnt easy. And Bangladesh bowled very well.It was a pleasure to open with Cooky - a legend of the game - and that hundred partnership with him in the second Test, plus to get a fifty on the board personally, was very pleasing. Hopefully I can take that bit more confidence with me into this series. Alastair Cook hit fifty in a hundred partnership with Ben Duckett in the second Test in Bangladesh I like to keep things very simple. When I initially came out here, I wasnt even sure if I was going to be in the side, so Im just happy to represent my country, whatever number that may be.I grew up batting in the middle order, so moving down to No 4 will not be a problem. And out here, you can face either seam or spin at any time, so I dont think it makes too much difference where you bat. England XI for first Test? Our Sky Sports pundits select their England XIs for Wednesdays first Test against India in Rajkot. The best bit of advice Ive got since being out here from the senior guys like Cooky and Joe Root is, just play your natural game.Thats why Ive been picked, its why Im here, and so thats what Im hoping to do on Wednesday.England take on India in the first Test of their five-match tour, in Rajkot, from 3.30am this Wednesday on Sky Sports 2. Watch the complete Test for £10.99 with no contract, with a Week Pass from NOW TV. Also See: India v England: Ways to watch England XI for the first Test? Inside track on India Broads 100th Test Quiz Jesse Lingard England Jersey . -- The Kelowna Rockets earned their 16th straight win with a 7-2 rout of the Portland Winterhawks in Western Hockey League action Thursday. Kyle Walker England Jersey . Browns owner Jimmy Haslam announced the move with Young on Monday during a speech at a Pro Football Hall of Fame luncheon. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Danny-Rose-England-Jersey/ . Particularly when speaking in the stadium of Tuesdays opponent: Manchester City. "Maybe they dont fear us as before," Pique said on Monday, "because in the last two years we didnt win the Champions League.WINNIPEG - Timothy Madigan carded a 3-under 68 on Saturday to claim a three-stroke lead entering the final round of The Players Cup. Madigan, who is seeking his first career win on the PGA Tour Canada, finished 54 holes at Pine Ridge Golf Club at 9-under-par 204. Josh Persons shot an even-par 71 to move into second place at 7-under 206, while Ricky McDonald is alone in third at minus-6. Second-round leader Erik Barnes tripped to a 4-over 75 on Thursday to fall into a share of fourth with Jay Myers (67) at 5-under 208. Barnes entered the day with a 2-stroke lead, but bogeyed the second to fall to 8-under and cut his advantage to just one. McDonald then birdied the first and fourth to claim a share of the lead before Barnes dropped another shot at the fourth to leave McDonald alone atop the leaderboard. Madigan, meanwhile, birdied the fourth and seventh to meet McDonald at 8- under. McDonald and Madigan then bogeyed the fifth and ninth, respectively, to each fall to minus-7 and into a tie for the llead with Persons and Barnes. England Soccer Jerseys. Persons had countered a double-bogey at the second with birdies at the fourth and sixth to reach 7-under. McDonald would then bogey the seventh, 10th, 11th and 12th to fall well off the pace before a hole-in-one at the 14th brought him back into contention, while Barnes bogeyed the ninth and 10th to also lose his share of the lead. Persons was next to fall out of the top spot with back-to-back bogeys at the 11th and 12th. That left Madigan alone in the lead and he took advantage with birdies at the 15th and 17th to move to 9-under and claim a 3-stroke lead. Persons closed his round with birdies at the 16th and 18th to pull within two of Madigan entering the final round. NOTES: Madigan has two top-five finishes this season, including a runner-up to Persons at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open in June ... McDonald is seeking his first career win on tour. He also has a runner-up this season, finishing in second place at the Syncrude Boreal Open. ' ' '