Haseeb Hameed talks about his conversation with Virat Kohli

England opener Haseeb Hameed has been a revelation for the England team. Despite being forced to leave the tour midway, he left a deep imprint of his sound game on the followers of the game. The 19-year old has become a sensation. He made his Test debut in the first Test against India at Rajkot. He scored a gritty 82 in the second innings of the match and was applauded by all. The third Test at Mohali saw him bat with a broken finger.

He went against all odds and showed character. He eventually scored a fifty. England lost the match but Haseeb Hameed had won the hearts. However, he was ruled out of the series thereafter following an injury. In a recent conversation with the ECB, the young batsman spoke about his injury and his moment with Virat Kohli.

Talking about his injury, he said that he tried to figure out a technique that would induce the least pain. “I was very keen to bat. I was actually aware of how bad a break it was at that time. Obviously, I was very much aware of the pain but I was quite determined not to let it get to me. I had a few net sessions before it and found out the best way for me to bat was to pull down to one side,” said Haseeb Hameed.

He added that it was only unfortunate that England lost the match. He revealed that he wanted to stay back on the tour and play in the remaining two Tests too. “Just try to play and with the adrenaline and few painkillers I could do the job. It was just a shame that it was not in a winning cause. I had to miss the series and I was devastated. I tried to persuade the doctors and the coaches to try and find another way round to somehow get through these two Test matches and then get a surgery,” he added further.

His picture with Virat Kohli went viral on the social media. Talking about his interaction with the Indian Test skipper, Hameed expressed that he wishes to play like Virat Kohli and excel in all formats of the game.

“That was obviously a very special moment for me (meeting Virat Kohli). The way he plays in all three formats is something that I aspire to do and I was very grateful for his time. We spoke a lot about his mindset and things like that. It was great to know his insights and what he thinks before going out to bat. I am sure it will benefit me a lot,” said the 19-year-old.

Speaking further, he said that he wishes to make a better comeback to the side and play even better. He also cited that he feels Test cricket brings out the best from any cricketer. “Test cricket challenges you in a lot of departments that maybe other formats don’t,” he remarked.