Jackson was voted World Young Player of the Year for 2010.

Kent's England hockey international Ashley Jackson has criticised the Commonwealth Games fixture schedule.

England are due to play their four group games in Delhi within five days, and if they reach the final, would have completed six matches in nine.

Jackson told BBC Radio Kent: "It's absolutely brutal, even if we were at home and it was 15 degrees it would be extremely tough.

"The conditions may mean the teams are evened out in terms of quality."

The 23-year-old from West Malling said the heat in India had made even training hard work.

"If you stop running you feel like you're burning from the inside, your feet feel like they're on fire and there's no way of cooling down," he said.

"Then you're trying to perform and make good decisions under that kind of fatigue, it might not make good viewing for the public."

We definitely think we can win it England international Ashley Jackson

Going into the tournament England were ranked second to Australia in men's hockey.

"We definitely think we can win it, obviously Australia are our big rivals. Fingers crossed we make our way through the group saving as much energy as we can," Jackson added.

"We could then face a semi-final against India which would have a big atmosphere."

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