England opener Ben Duckett made his Test debut against Bangladesh in 2016. Ben Duckett says greater professionalism this summer will be a major "priority" for him following a winter Ashes series blighted by off-the-field issues.

Australia clinched the Test series 4-1 to retain the urn but the disappointment of England's defeat was compounded by claims of excessive drinking by players, especially during a break between matches in the coastal town of Noosa. One video which emerged on social media appeared to show Duckett drunk and the 31-year-old acknowledged shortly before the start of the English county season that aspects of his behaviour fell below the required standard.

"If we're winning that series, it's probably not news and no one cares. If Travis Head's in that video, everyone's probably absolutely loving it," Duckett said. "We were struggling as a side, I was struggling as a player. But you shouldn't be getting yourself or putting yourself in a position like that. Any human being, let alone a professional sportsman."

"I think it's no secret that we can definitely tighten up on some areas and I think that will be the case moving forward. And to be honest, I'm all for it." Duckett has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League in an attempt to hold on to his place in the England side and will instead play in the early rounds of the County Championship for Nottinghamshire.

He is planning to speak to England coach Brendon McCullum in the next couple of weeks but "does not know" if he will be in the XI for the first Test against New Zealand in June. The left-handed batter struggled for form towards the end of last summer and hit just one half-century in 16 innings across all formats this winter.

In the Ashes, he made 202 runs in 10 Test innings at 20.20 with a top score of 42. Duckett said it's "not a secret" that professionalism is something he's "struggled with throughout my career" but has always been willing to "hold his hands up" when he's transgressed.

During the 2017-18 Ashes, when Duckett was part of a England Lions tour shadowing the main squad, he infamously poured a drink over the head of James Anderson in a Perth bar.

However, the Nottinghamshire batter hopes placing a greater emphasis on fitness and being in the right frame of mind will prevent his international career from ending before he wants it to.

"Throughout the Ashes I was working hard and I don't think I was in really bad shape but I've always kind of gone up and down with it [fitness levels]," Duckett explained. "I think at 26, 27 or 28 you can get away with it. Whereas I'm obviously getting older now."

"I definitely want to make that a priority moving forward. I want to prolong playing cricket for England and the professional side of that is certainly going to help." Duckett and England fast bowler Josh Tongue are set to sit out Nottinghamshire's opening match of the season against Somerset, which starts on Friday, 3 April, but should be back for the following week's visit of Glamorgan to Trent Bridge.

"I'll just do everything I can over the next four or five weeks to make sure I'm in the best shape of my life," Duckett added. "I can't promise that I'm going to average 75 for Notts in these games, but giving everything I can to in this little block and just see where we go from there."

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