For a career that took off vertically and then plunged to alarming depths, Haseeb Hameed has seen it all in the last five years after making a successful comeback for England at Headingley.
The England opener of Indian origin had scored 82 on debut against India at Rajkot in 2016 not too far away from his ancestral home, Umraj, in Gujarat. It was a special moment as Hameed was just 19 then and had become only the third teenager after Brian Close (1949) and Denis Compton (1937) to play Test cricket for England.
Hameed’s joy was shortlived as a fractured finger forced him out of the series but not before he scored a defiant 59 with it at Mohali while batting at No 8.
Nicknamed the ‘Bolton Blocker’ and ‘Baby Boycott’ for his traditional and obdurate approach to batting, Hameed’s form suffered such a dip that he was soon out of contract at Lancashire. The coaches at the County did all they could but couldn’t revive his career as he averaged 9.7 from 11 innings at one point and as a consequence, he was released from the county in 2018.
“Where his form and function have disappeared to is a complete and utter mystery to us,” Lancashire’s director of cricket Paul Allott said at the time. At 22, the man who grew in a tough Bolton neighbourhood stood at the crossroads of his career. But fortunately, there were still takers for his talent and he was soon roped in by Nottinghamshire in 2019.
Since then the elegant-looking batsman has forced his way into the England team on the back of some heavy scores in the last couple of seasons. He’s averaged over 50 this season and England’s struggle to find a reliable opener too worked in his favour.
“He seems to have found his love for the game again”, was what England cricket boss Ashley Giles said when he found his way back in the team.
He helped his cause immensely when he smashed 112 for Select County XI against India and was drafted in the squad. His comeback at Lord’s was not great and it can be attributed to nerves and batting out of position at No.3.
At Headingley though, he replaced Dom Sibley and put his international career back on track with a dogged 68 that took 195 deliveries to come. Along with Rory Burns, he blunted India’s attack to put on a 135-run stand for the first wicket.
Coached by dad
Hameed’s technically sound game was shaped by his father Ismail who had quit his job at the local factory to coach his three sons after school.
The family backed the youngster to improve his game in every possible way even if it meant sending him to Mumbai where he has had two brief stints under noted coach Vidya Paradkar, who was introduced to them by family friend and former Mumbai assistant commissioner of police Iqbal Shaikh.
Paradkar, who has coached some of the top Mumbai players, worked on tightening Hameed’s technique and overall game.
The England opener of Indian origin had scored 82 on debut against India at Rajkot in 2016 not too far away from his ancestral home, Umraj, in Gujarat. It was a special moment as Hameed was just 19 then and had become only the third teenager after Brian Close (1949) and Denis Compton (1937) to play Test cricket for England.
Hameed’s joy was shortlived as a fractured finger forced him out of the series but not before he scored a defiant 59 with it at Mohali while batting at No 8.
Nicknamed the ‘Bolton Blocker’ and ‘Baby Boycott’ for his traditional and obdurate approach to batting, Hameed’s form suffered such a dip that he was soon out of contract at Lancashire. The coaches at the County did all they could but couldn’t revive his career as he averaged 9.7 from 11 innings at one point and as a consequence, he was released from the county in 2018.
“Where his form and function have disappeared to is a complete and utter mystery to us,” Lancashire’s director of cricket Paul Allott said at the time. At 22, the man who grew in a tough Bolton neighbourhood stood at the crossroads of his career. But fortunately, there were still takers for his talent and he was soon roped in by Nottinghamshire in 2019.
Since then the elegant-looking batsman has forced his way into the England team on the back of some heavy scores in the last couple of seasons. He’s averaged over 50 this season and England’s struggle to find a reliable opener too worked in his favour.
“He seems to have found his love for the game again”, was what England cricket boss Ashley Giles said when he found his way back in the team.
He helped his cause immensely when he smashed 112 for Select County XI against India and was drafted in the squad. His comeback at Lord’s was not great and it can be attributed to nerves and batting out of position at No.3.
At Headingley though, he replaced Dom Sibley and put his international career back on track with a dogged 68 that took 195 deliveries to come. Along with Rory Burns, he blunted India’s attack to put on a 135-run stand for the first wicket.
Coached by dad
Hameed’s technically sound game was shaped by his father Ismail who had quit his job at the local factory to coach his three sons after school.
The family backed the youngster to improve his game in every possible way even if it meant sending him to Mumbai where he has had two brief stints under noted coach Vidya Paradkar, who was introduced to them by family friend and former Mumbai assistant commissioner of police Iqbal Shaikh.
Paradkar, who has coached some of the top Mumbai players, worked on tightening Hameed’s technique and overall game.
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