“Hameed looks the part”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Legendary England batsman Geoffrey Boycott has heaped praise on opening batsman Haseeb Hameed after he had a debut to remember in the first Test against India in Rajkot.
Hameed became the youngest player to open the batting for England in Tests and made scores of 31 and 82 in the match, which ended as a draw as England fell four wickets short of victory.
Writing in his column for the Daily Telegraph, Boycott admitted that Hameed’s style of play is tailor-made for the longest format of the game.
“Hameed looks the part. The last time I saw an English youngster take to Test match cricket so comfortably and appear so composed, unfazed and at ease was his captain and opening partner Alastair Cook 10 years ago in Nagpur against India, where he made 60 and 104 not out,” Boycott wrote. “The kid is born for Test match cricket, like Cook.”
While Hameed showcased his potential in Rajkot, Boycott issued a word of warning, saying that it would be unwise for people to have unrealistic expectations of the 19-year-old.
“People should not expect too much from him too soon. We have not seen him tested by short balls because there are hardly any genuine speedsters in county or Test cricket,” the 76-year-old added. “He will have a few downs as well as plenty of success but none of us are the finished product when we start our international careers.”
Hameed, nicknamed ‘Baby Boycott’, learnt how to play the game and enhanced his technique through his father, who showed him videos of Boycott while the youngster was growing up.
“I am flattered that Hameed is known as ‘Baby Boycott’. It is a compliment to me that his father showed him videos of me and wanted him to watch my technique,” Boycott wrote. “He is not a modern player. The modern player has grown up with crash, bang, wallop Twenty20 and having to play cricket’s answer to baseball.
“This kid plays as if he could have played in my era on uncovered pitches because he seems to have the temperament, patience, concentration and technique.”