Haseeb Hameed feels he can match into the attacking fashion of Test cricket that England are taking part in below Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
The opening batter’s strike-rate in his 10 Tests thus far is 32.02 and his earlier defensive strategy earned him the nickname ‘Baby Boycott’ in a nod to former England batter Sir Geoffrey Boycott.
However, Hameed’s strike-rate for Nottinghamshire within the County Championship final season was 62.40 and he says scoring extra briskly has been his focus since being dropped by England after the 4-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia in 2021-22.
The 26-year-old, who will captain England Lions’ red-ball staff in Sri Lanka subsequent month, mentioned: “I got here again from that Australia tour and was clear how I used to be going to go about my recreation: look to attain runs at each alternative and settle for the truth that everybody will get out.
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Hameed scored 4 centuries and 7 fifties for Nottinghamshire throughout the 2022 County Championship season
“We [England] went into our shells a bit. We obtained a bit defensive, a bit ‘survival mode’ and consequently all of us suffered.
“Now it is nearly like, if unsure you’re taking the opposite choice, you attempt to put the strain again on them. You take the constructive choice and you will be backed for it.
Hameed: I’ve proven a brand new facet of me
“That’s a key change in our cricket system typically. The fascinating factor for me is it coincides with an analogous shift that I’ve made at an analogous time.
“You have your typical Test match opener, which is what I used to be attempting to play like earlier than, however there may be additionally a facet of me – which perhaps a number of extra folks have seen now – that enjoys hitting the ball.
Michael Atherton says England’s ‘unimaginable transformation’ in Test cricket is right down to taking over captain Ben Stokes’ aggressive and selfless traits
“Especially in opposition to a number of the finest bowlers on this planet you are going to face good balls that may get you out, so the opposite balls it’s possible you’ll as properly attempt to money in, rating runs and put the opposition below strain.
“That is what I’ve tried to do. I took that into the season with Notts and it was a great season for me.
“The manner I take a look at issues, I had one dangerous tour however loads of very, superb gamers have had one dangerous tour. Why cannot I get higher? It’s occurred, however it’s not the whole journey. I’m not 35, 36.
“I’ve obtained one other 15 years of cricket left in me. I’m hoping a protracted interval of that’s taking part in worldwide cricket for England, that has by no means modified.”
England have received 9 of their 10 Tests since Stokes succeeded Joe Root as captain and Hameed says he’ll look high comply with the senior skipper’s lead when he leads his nation’s second string in Sri Lanka.
The former Lancashire batter added: “I’ll have my very own fashion in fact, however the model that Stokesy and Co have applied is now the England model, whether or not you are with the Lions or the Test facet.
“This entire thought of taking part in to win and being ready to lose the sport in an effort to win, 100 per cent I’ll attempt to replicate that.”
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Discarded Test opener Alex Lees is in England Lions’ red-ball squad for the Sri Lanka tour
England Lions tour of Sri Lanka
Three-day warm-up vs SLC Board XI (January 25-27)First four-day Test Sri Lanka A (January 31-February 3)First four-day Test Sri Lanka A (February 7-10)First ODI vs Sri Lanka A (February 15)Second ODI vs Sri Lanka A (February 18)Third ODI vs Sri Lanka A (February 21)
England Lions Test squad
Haseeb Hameed (captain), Tom Abell, Josh Bohannon, Jack Carson, Sam Cook, Matt Fisher, Nathan Gilchrist, Tom Haines, Tom Hartley, Jack Haynes, Lyndon James, Alex Lees, Liam Patterson-White, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue
England Lions ODI squad
Tom Abell (captain), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Mason Crane, Matt Critchley, Matt Fisher, Sam Hain, Tom Hartley, Tom Lammonby, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Prest, James Rew, Luke Wood
