My time will come, says England's 22-year-old cricketer Haseeb Hameed

England opener Haseeb Hameed in Manchester. Pics/ Harit N Joshi

MANCHESTER: Nothing much has changed in Haseeb Hameed's appearance since he became England's youngest Test opener at 19 on the 2016-17 tour of India. He's grown a little moustache and beard, but is still skinny and has retained his boyish charm. "I have put on some weight now," he says with a smile, showing his biceps as mid-day met him and his father Ismail (also Haseeb's coach) over coffee yesterday. Haseeb's technique during his knock of 82 in the second innings of his debut Test at Rajkot attracted plenty of accolades. Some reckoned he was England's new Geoffery Boycott.

Intelligent Hameed

In the third Test at Mohali, Haseeb got hit in the first innings, but that did not deter him from scoring a brilliant unbeaten 59 with a badly broken finger, batting at No. 8. India skipper Virat Kohli called him an, "intelligent" English youngster, who is "definitely going to be a star".
The injury forced him to return home. Three seasons thereafter, Haseeb is nowhere close to Test reckoning. In fact, he has just six months left in his Lancashire contract to impress the county for an extension.

In the first season on his return from the finger injury, Haseeb managed just 513 runs in 12 matches with 88 being his best effort, a stark difference from 1,198 runs in his 2016 season for Lancashire that paved his way for England selection.

The 2017 season was even worse as Haseeb managed just 165 runs in 10 county games. In the ongoing season, he has scored 251 runs in seven matches with 117 as his best score - his first century in three seasons.

"It is very difficult to put a finger on a particular aspect to say why that [lean patch] happened. I guess a lot of people wouldn't know about the period after I got hit in India. I had a couple of injuries here and there. I broke my middle finger after I had just got back to playing matches. I had nasal surgery as well. The two finger injuries put me out of action for eight weeks each. All those things haven't been publicised as much, so people are not really aware what all has happened. With injuries and time off, it is difficult," Haseeb says, reflecting on the last couple of seasons.

Haseeb Hamid's father Ismail

"Things didn't go as planned, but it's still a learning phase; I am only 22. The main thing is that things haven't changed for me from where I see myself from. My ambition is still the same as it was when I was making my debut at 19. Hopefully, these experiences will help me," he hopes.

To sort out his batting issues, Haseeb undertook a trip to Bangalore and New Zealand last year. "As a sportsman, you look for a lot of answers. You have a lean period and suddenly you think about what needs to be done. Sometimes you can start thinking very technical. That is why I went away in the winter to a couple of places in India and also to New Zealand. The good thing is that they hadn't seen me playing live. They were all very positive about my game. They felt my game was in good order and I don't need to change anything .

"Generally, it wasn't the case where I need to completely change the way I was batting. They said my basics were strong, my technique sound and you can work to improve your game like everyone else; there are no big flaws in my game. That gave me a lot of confidence," he says. There were critics who felt Haseeb was handed his Test debut well before time and that he wasn't ready for the big stage. Haseeb, however, does not feel so. "If I wasn't ready then I wouldn't have scored two half-centuries against the world's best team (India) in their own backyard. I wouldn't say it came too early. I have the mental toughness to play sport at the highest level. The last couple years haven't gone the way I would have liked, but there is still something within me which says that it will happen. When the time is right, it will come again," he says.

Coping with pressure

Haseeb Hameed shows his awkward grip with which he held his bat during his knock in Mohali

Brought up in Bolton, Haseeb was well-known for scoring big runs from a young age. He has coped with the pressure of expectations since he was eight. Was the attention and fame, post his Test debut series too much to handle? "It would be easy for me to say right now, 'yes, it was all too much for me'. I remember the first interview I did just after my first-class debut. So, I said I want to play for England as soon as possible and I want to have a long and successful career for England. This is just the start for me. I was just speaking my mind and heart. To say I was overwhelmed by the praise is not correct. I always wanted that. It wasn't that I thought there is so much of expectation and burden on me. Just because I didn't have the life I wanted in the last few years, it doesn't mean I will say the adulation was too much for me," says Haseeb, who has also cut down on his social media activities to focus better on his game.

As he struggles to get back among the runs for Lancashire, Haseeb is keen to speak to his biggest admirer Virat Kohli before India take on the West Indies tomorrow. "Virat spoke to me when we were in Mohali and he had told me whenever you want to chat, just let me know. I know how busy he is, but if an opportunity arises in the next couple of days since they [Indian team] are here in Manchester, I would love to have a chat with him. It will be an amazing experience," he says. With Keaton Jennings and Rory Burns steadily cementing their place as England Test openers, can Haseeb earn back his place? "Yes for sure," he says firmly. "It [focus] is just on playing for Lancashire right now. It is about scoring some runs again, put in some performances and the rest will look after itself as it did the first time around."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates