Die Anpflanzler [DA] » e off, and bond a bit

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.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 Jaylen Samuels Jersey .Y. - The NFL has fined Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $20,000 for making an obscene gesture during last Sundays NFC championship game, a person with knowledge of the fine told The Associated Press on Thursday. Chris Boswell Jersey . -- Olympic medallist Jennifer Abel of Laval, Que. http://www.cheapsteelersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-mike-hilton-jersey . -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October. J.C. Hassenauer Jersey . None of them was better than playing with LeBron James again. Greg Gilmore Jersey . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization.Northern Ireland boss Michael ONeill is happy to keep on tinkering with his formation as he looks for a perfect Euro 2016 playing system. ONeill played 45 minutes each in the 1-1 draw with Wales on Thursday with 3-5-2 and 4-3-3 formations, the latter having been his preference for much of their successful qualifying campaign.Northern Ireland will play three more friendlies, against Slovenia on Monday and then Belarus and Slovakia, before their first game in the tournament against Poland on June 12, and ONeill will continue to experiment with his teams shape on an ad hoc basis. When asked about his switch to 3-5-2, ONeill said: We were a little bit disappointed that maybe we didnt have more of an attacking threat with that system.I think the two lads up front worked very hard. Its the first time theyve played together and Kyle (Lafferty) hasnt played much football. There are mitigating factors in that. Kyle Lafferty is hoping for more playing time at Birmingham after being frozen out at Norwich Theres always comfort as a coach and a manager when you say youre going to change to four. We threw Jonny (Evans) in at left-back and he doesnt bat an eyelid and we played in the 4-3-3 and are able to deal with it.Its exactly what we want. In the summer we are going to have to be flexible. Either system has strengths or weaknesses depending on how the games going.The most important thing between now and the end of the summer is the players are able to adapt it and understand it very quickly, and the game on Thursday night gave me a lot more confidence that thats the case.Norwich striker Lafferty played 81 minutes against Wales, hours after completing a loan move to Birmingham, and ONeill hopes his drop down to the Sky Bet Championship for playing time will be to his countrys advantage. Sky Sports Paul Gilmour visits Northern Ireland stars Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley as they get their Euro 2016 suits fitted Its up to him now to have an impact as well, ONeill added.ddddddddddddBirmingham have ambitions and something to play for. That being the case, if he is a contributing factor to them having a good finish to the season then hell be in a better frame of mind when he comes away with us in the summer.One man ONeill will not be considering is Watfords Troy Deeney. Deeney had hoped be might be eligible to play for Northern Ireland, but he misses out by a generation - a great grandparent has Northern Irish roots, not, as is required, a grandparent. Norwich and Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty has agreed to join Birmingham on loan for the rest of the season ONeill told Sky Sports News HQ: I did explore the possibility of Troy representing Northern Ireland - but that was four years ago.The eligibility, that he believed was available, wasnt. He is a generation out in terms of his bloodline to Northern Ireland. Thats all I can say about it. Hes a player we would have loved to have involved. But unfortunately we wont be able to take i