"Something in the mind did not work for him" - Michael Vaughan on Haseeb Hameed's dismissal
Former England player Michael Vaughan has questioned Haseeb Hameed's mental conditioning following a golden duck. The youngster missed a fairly straight delivery from Mohammad Siraj and had to walk back to the pavilion instantly on his return to the Test side after five years.
Hameed walked into the crease after the dismissal of Dom Sibley and Michael Vaughan notes how he took guard multiple times. He believes that something did not work on his mind during the buildup to that innings.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, the former England captain said:
"My concern with Hameed today was, he took guard three times. It took a long time for him to face the new ball. He doesn't do that in county cricket. In county cricket he won't be missing that straight ball. So something up here [in the mind], did not work for him today."
Vaughan also believes a harmless delivery like that does not get him out in county cricket. Hameed has amassed runs in county cricket for Lancashire and Nottinghamshire and was rewarded with a call-up to the national team after five years.
Vaughan hopes the youngster will have talks with senior members of the squad following the manner of his dismissal.
"I hope he's going and talking to one or two in the ground, particularly the experienced members," Vaughan said. "It's still 22 yards and it's still a red ball coming at you. It's the surroundings, it's the crowd, it's the media, that is the difference between county cricket and the highest level. And that ball today is a ball in county cricket that does not get him out."
Hameed should be opening the batting: Michael Vaughan
Having played as an opener in his debut series in India and even in county cricket, Hameed was deployed at No. 3 in place of Zak Crawley as England opted to retain the opening pair.
Vaughan firmly believes that it should be Hameed who should be opening the batting by replacing the struggling Dom Sibley.
"Hameed should be opening the batting, and Hameed at one down having to wait to bat; some people don't like that. If you're an opening batsman, you want to get out there and face the new ball," Vaughan said.
England were in a difficult position following the departure of Hameed, but the pair of Joe Root and Rory Burns stitched up a vital partnership to deny India the momentum.