Father of Haseeb Hameed left job to help train his son

LONDON: Father of Haseeb Hameed, the second teenager to make England Test debut since 1949, quit his job to coach his son after school, according to British media.

Haseeb, 19, recently made his England test debut against India and scored 31 and 82 during his maiden appearance. But, the youngster has enough to thank his father, Ismail, for, as the latter quit his job to help train his son.

Haseeb's father, Ismail Hameed, and family were present as he became only the second teenager to make England Test debut after more than 60 years.

Ismail Hameed emigrated to Bolton in 1969. He worked in the Lancashire town’s cotton factories before becoming a driving instructor so he could devote more time to coaching his son after school.

 Ismail’s love of cricket led him to coach his older sons Safwaan and Nauman when they were younger. Both his older sons are now in their 30s.

Coaching his sons in cricket became Ismail's other job. He sent his elder sons to play for club cricket in Bolton and attempted to provide them with a similar path towards professional cricket. Neither made it past club level.

Safwaan followed his father’s lead by coaching in the area following a series of injuries.

Later on, Haseeb dominated his family coaching sessions at Rawsthorne Park, with his tiny Gray-Nicolls bat tucked under his arm.

The teenager says his father ‘sacrificed his life’ to help the brothers succeed in theirs.