“It’s a very exciting day for a young guy who has impressed everyone so far on this trip”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

England captain Alastair Cook has confirmed that uncapped opening batsman Haseeb Hameed will make his international debut in the first Test against India in Rajkot on Wednesday.

Hameed, who will replace Ben Duckett as Cook’s opening partner, will become the youngest debutant to open the batting for England and the fifth-youngest debutant in history to represent England in a Test match.

Duckett, who made his Test debut in the recent two-Test series against Bangladesh, will come in at number four, meaning that there was no place in the side for Gary Ballance, who only managed to score 24 runs in four innings at a dismal average of six.

Other than confirming that Hameed would make his debut and that Duckett had taken Ballance’s place on the batting line-up, Cook did not say much more about his plans for the first Test.

“Has [Haseeb] is going to open the batting and Ben is going to bat at four,” Cook said. “It’s unfortunate for Gary (Ballance). In his six Test matches back, he hasn’t quite scored the runs he would have liked to.

“It has given someone else an opportunity and it’s a very exciting day for a young guy who has impressed everyone so far on this trip.

“You often wonder with a 19-year-old coming on tour whether he will be overawed by it – and he hasn’t been at all.”