Team-mates awestruck by Hameed’s display of raw courage

HASEEB HAMEED signed off from his maiden Test tour and left team-mates in awe of his courage after he batted through the pain of a broken finger to make an unbeaten 59 against India. He will fly home for surgery, leaving Durham’s uncapped opener Keaton Jennings as the favourite to replace him for next week’s fourth Test in Mumbai — but not before Hameed had insisted that he wanted to see out the series. It was an attitude that impressed coach Trevor Bayliss, not least because the 19-year-old opener had dealt with his discomfort with just a couple of aspirin while working out a grip that eased pressure on his left little finger, which was protected by a moulded plastic casing. ‘He wanted to stay and play the last two Tests,’ said Bayliss. ‘He wouldn’t take no for an answer. ‘His old man said: “Just tape it up, he’ll be all right”. There are a lot of guys in there in awe of what he’s been through. Not showing any pain, and his guts and determination are all a good sign. ‘There are plenty of other guys who have got hit and make a big song and dance about it. Obviously he’s got a big pain threshold.’ Hameed had an X-ray on Monday night, which revealed a break all the way through the finger. Team medics believe he may have suffered the injury as long ago as the start of England’s second innings in Visakhapatnam, when he was hit on the glove by Indian seamer Mohammed Shami. He was then hit on the same spot — and dismissed — by fast bowler Umesh Yadav during England’s first innings in Mohali. Even India captain Virat Kohli was moved to pay tribute. ‘He showed great character for a 19-year-old,’ he said. ‘He’s a great prospect for England and he’s definitely going to be a future star in all forms.’ For the time being, England captain Alastair Cook may have to spend the last two Tests getting to know his 11th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in August 2012, with Jennings in the running to be flown in from the England Lions camp in Dubai. Jennings, a Johannesburg-born 24-year-old left-hander, scored seven hundreds in Division One of the County Championship last season, and looks set to edge out Kent’s Sam Billings. Outsiders include Middlesex opener Nick Gubbins and Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond, and another — though unlikely — option would be to recall Ben Duckett.