Haseeb Hameed, a batter for England, recently talked about his connection with Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli and a conversation he had with the latter while England was touring India. Then, during England’s 2016 tour of India, a 19-year-old made his Test debut. His performances in Rajkot and Visakhapatnam immediately brought him attention. However, a fractured finger in Mohali ended his campaign early.
Despite having a broken finger, Hameed batted at number eight in the second innings and scored 59*. Following this knock, Virat Kohli entered the England locker room and spoke with the young player.
“Virat Kohli has been really beneficial.
He has always been more than happy to lend his time if I have any questions concerning batting. Furthermore, it’s not merely a little time frame. As long as we need him, he’s willing to leave. I’ve always had a great deal of respect for him. Given what he has done for me as a person and as a player during my challenging times, it says a lot about his character, humility, and approach to life.
He was gracious enough to give me a few minutes during my injury on the first trip (in 2016). “If ever you want to reach out, please feel free to do so,” he continued, giving me his phone number. That only goes to show what an amazing person he is. His social media following suggests that he is perhaps the largest superstar in the game, if not the greatest one ever. He didn’t have to give up his time and personal space, even if he was so willing to do so.
I was 19 years old and a little child. However, his willingness and ability to do so speaks much about his character. Hashim Amla has also been of great assistance. I enjoy discussing batting with these guys since they are not only amazing players but also have a thorough understanding of the game. Even though they are both excellent players, they give it a really human touch. They break it down to the most fundamental aspects of the game, yet sometimes it seems difficult to relate to someone who has achieved those heights,” he told Hindustan Times.
He responds far more effectively than some other players: Haseeb
Since their first encounter, Virat Kohli has continuously offered Hameed support, particularly during some of the more challenging times in his career. The top Indian cricket player has given his invaluable assistance after losing his Lancashire contract in 2019 or being dropped following the catastrophic Ashes 2021–22 tour.
“This is how I’ll put it. Considering the level of both his character and his skill as a player, he responds far better than some other players. He must be really busy, wouldn’t he? I have no doubt that it requires some work on his part to respond to someone like myself. However, he has always been open to doing so; let’s hope that keeps up,” Hameed continued.
Hameed, who is currently Nottinghamshire’s captain, hopes to revive his career with steady domestic play. With 848 runs in 2024 and more over 1,000 last season, he is still hoping to rejoin the England team.
“There is nothing I would change about it. When asked about my goals when I initially signed a professional contract, I was extremely honest and said that I wanted to play for England because I was just 17 or 18. Some players, who are between the ages of 17 and 18, may find it difficult to express that, but for me, it came naturally. If only things had gone differently, you might think of some things when you look back on them.
However, I don’t usually look at things that way. I’m willing to accept things as they are. By the time I played my ten Test matches, seven of which were away from home and all against Australia and India, I was 24. It doesn’t seem to get much harder than that. I feel like I’ve gone through one very awful, difficult Ashes tour of international cricket in Australia.
It is hence exaggerated. However, the six Test matches that preceded that, both at home and away against India, went well despite difficult conditions. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, the current leadership, have demonstrated the ability to choose players despite the possibility that they had a poor tour. You can occasionally see the effects of that,” he said.
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