Kamran Ghulam is perched on Pakistan balcony away from the coaches’ table. Just some minutes into his Test debut, Kamran Ghulam has to be vigilant. Such are the days for Pakistan middle-order batters – their fragile top-order continues to deny them morning cuppas. Test debuts are supposed to be tough. This is, after all, the ultimate format of the game, where only the best survive. Ghulam should know it better than anyone as he is replacing one such modern-day great of the country who could no longer assert his authority on the game as he once did.
Pakistan debutant Kamran Ghulam created history on his Test debut against England at the Multan Cricket Stadium and became the first Pakistan player in 42 years to achieve a rare feat. Kamran Ghulam is only the 6th player in Test cricket history to register the unique record. Kamran Ghulam replaced Babar Azam in the squad. Since his first-class debut in 2013, Kamran Ghulam has piled on runs in all three formats of the game with his best coming in 2020-21 when he amassed 1,249 runs in 11 domestic matches.
Kamran Ghulam’s blazing century on debut made the first day of the match as Pakistan’s day.
Kamran Ghulam is the 116th player in Test cricket history to score a century on debut but the only the 13th from Pakistan. Previously, Khalid Ibadulla (1964), Javed Miandad (1976), Saleem Malik (1982), Mohammad Wasim (1996), Ali Naqvi (1997), Azhar Mahmood (1997), Younis Khan (2000), Taufeeq Umar (2001), Yasir Hameed (2003), Fawad Alam (2009), Umar Akmal (2009), and Abid Ali (2019) have achieved the feat. At the age of 29, Kamran Ghulam is the second oldest Pakistan player after Abid Ali (32 years) to achieve the feat.
Kamran Ghulam has been in and out of Pakistan squads since he breached the record for the most runs in a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy edition in 2020-21. Pakistan, just recently, left him out of the squad for the last week’s Test after he had carried drinks against Bangladesh. It was the most recent instance of Kamran Ghulam being omitted from the squad three years after he was initially called-up on the back of the record-breaking first-class season.
But, the 29-year-old continued to grind it out in the domestic cricket. He has averaged above 55 since the start of the last year in first-class cricket, but came into this contest without the desired red ball practice as the Pakistan Cricket Board, despite being in the middle of the second of three Test series at home this season, are yet to begin a first-class tournament.
In the period between the Bangladesh Tests and this series, Kamran Ghulam, along with other Pakistan players, played in a newly established domestic one-day tournament of which’s creation and timing continues to divide opinion in the country. Kamran Ghulam even used that tournament to establish his credentials by finishing it as the second highest run-getter, with 250 runs coming at a rate of 97.
Kamran Ghulam opens up after his heroics on Day 1 of PAK vs ENG 2024 2nd Test
Pakistan batter Kamran Ghulam has revealed that he never gave up despite missing out on his international debut after coming close numerous times before. The right-hander’s statement came after his century on Day 1 of the second Test against England in Multan.
Kamran Ghulam, having scored 4000 first-class runs, debuted in Multan and played at No. 4 in Babar Azam’s place. The 29-year-old impressed in his first international appearance and scored 118, holding Pakistan’s innings together on a tricky surface.
Speaking at a press conference after Day 1 of the ongoing Test, Kamran Ghulam said he wanted to deal with the situation positively despite Pakistan losing a couple of wickets. As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he said:
“I’d been waiting for my chance a long time but I never gave up. I had been waiting for my chance. That’s all I thought about. I kept being selected and then omitted from squads, and all I used to think about was how to take the chance I’d been given. When I came to the wicket we’d lost two wickets. But I wanted to play with a positive mind like I do in first-class cricket.”
The all-rounder credited his hard work behind scoring runs against England, elaborating:
“I’ve scored a lot of first-class runs. I didn’t care about the venue or the team, I just needed to make my debut. I knew I had a lot of hard work behind me, and thankfully that work has paid off for me.”
The right-handed batter had also experienced a good Champions One-day Cup, aggregating 250 runs in six innings at 41.66.
Kamran Ghulam praises Babar Azam post his innings
Kamran Ghulam also suggested that he was focused on the task at hand instead of thinking of himself as Babar’s replacement. On this, he added:
“Babar is a very good player and at the back of my mind I was thinking he’s a legend, a very good player. But I thought I’d give 110% and play with a positive mindset. I knew I had to take my opportunity,”