Former England captain Nasser Hussain has praised the 29-year-old Pakistani batsman Kamran Ghulam, drawing comparisons to Australia’s Steve Smith for his distinctive batting style and composure under pressure.
Kamran Ghulam has captured the cricketing world’s attention with a stunning century in the second Test against England, played on October 12 in Multan.
Kamran, who was brought into the playing XI as a replacement for Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, made an immediate impact. Facing a formidable England bowling attack, he scored 118 runs off 224 balls, demonstrating remarkable resilience and adaptability. His innings came at a crucial time for Pakistan, who were struggling at 19 for 2 after losing early wickets.
Speaking on Sky Cricket, Nasser Hussain lauded Ghulam’s ability to balance aggression with defense, a skill that proved vital on a challenging Multan pitch. “He had to wait his turn. He’s been scoring prolific runs in the last three years. He got the right balance between attack and defense. They lost a couple of early wickets – on debut you want to get out there and that will have helped him,” Hussain remarked.
Hussain also highlighted the confidence and technique of Kamran Ghulam at the crease, noting his effective use of the sweep shot and footwork against spin. He said,
Century by Kamran Ghulam, combined with Saim Ayub’s solid 77, was instrumental in stabilizing Pakistan’s innings. Their 149-run partnership helped steer the team back on course after early setbacks. Ghulam’s ability to tackle Jack Leach’s spin, which had caused early damage, was particularly noteworthy.
