India vs England | Haseeb Hameed set to become youngest debutant opener
England are set to introduce 19-year-old opening batsman Haseeb Hameed in the first Test against India in Rajkot on Wednesday. Hameed, who has strong Indian roots, will become Alastair Cook’s 10th opening partner since 2012 after enjoying a breakthrough season in the Championship for Lancashire.
"Haseeb has impressed everyone so far on this trip. You wonder if a 19-year-old, coming on tour, will be overawed but he hasn't been at all. He has looked really good in the nets and the way he has gone about his business. It's obviously a very special day to pick someone so young.
"He is incredibly unflappable. He looks a very good player of spin. He picks length well and uses the crease well. Stuart Broad bowled at him last summer and was almost straight on the phone to me saying how impressed he was with this guy.
"He is one of those natural run-scorers. All through his age group, whatever team and whatever standard, he has scored runs. It's probably a year earlier than he would have thought. But to average 50-odd as an opener in Division One as a 19-year-old is an incredible feat. I was nowhere near the player he is at 19.
"Of course there will be some tough moments for him over the next few of playing Test cricket, but I think this guy can play," Cook said ahead of the match, reported ESPN.
Hameed, whose parents were born in Gujarat, had scored 1200 at an average of 49.91 in the 2016 Championship for Lancashire, and his inclusion would mean that Ben Duckett, who opened alongside Cook in Bangladesh, will have to drop down to No.4. Cook has placed his faith on Duckett to come good in the middle order.
"He's a pretty unflappable character. Historically he has played all his cricket in the middle order until the last year. He's comfortable batting anywhere," he added.
Hameed’s selection also means that the likes of Jos Buttler and Gary Ballance will have to remain on the bench. But, Cook believes that the decision is justified. He said, "It was a tough decision. Jos has played some really good one-day cricket on this tour and his batting looks in really good shape in the nets. But he hasn't played that much first-class cricket. Gary hasn't scored the runs he would have liked."