"Growing up, that is the dream for a young Lancs player" - Haseeb Hameed keen to play at Old Trafford

England opener Haseeb Hameed revealed his excitement at playing at his home ground in Manchester this week. England lost the fourth Test at the Oval and conceded a series lead, but they can still square it. Joe Root and co. will pull out all the stops to pull it off in the fifth and final match.

Hameed revived his career in Nottinghamshire after a slump under Peter Moores' guidance after debuting in 2016. So the club holds a unique spot in the 24-year old's heart as he returns to Old Trafford. But he will be keen to score a hundred after two fifties in the series.

That was England's seventh 100+ first-wicket stand in the last five years.Haseeb Hameed has featured in three of those.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/bSMCaNEtzM

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) September 6, 2021

Speaking to Sky Sports, Haseeb Hameed stated it's a dream of every young Lancashire player to play in Manchester. Though it hasn't been smooth sailing, Hameed is eager to build on his success. Notably, his first-class debut and maiden ton in the format occurred in Manchester.

"Growing up, that is the dream for a young Lancs player. But obviously when you're going through difficult moments that seems a long way away and it is only natural to feel that way and wonder if it will happen. But I'm extremely grateful to be in this position.

I'm looking forward to it because my memories of Lancs are all positive. It was where I made my first-class debut, made my maiden first-class century, I had a lot of success,"

The 24-year old further said the Nottinghamshire club has been indispensable to his success and he would continue to be grateful for it. Hameed wants to concentrate on the task at hand, helping England to a 2-2 scoreline.

"I've always said that the club holds a special place in my heart. And I don't want the last couple of years to overshadow what I feel like has been a good relationship and a good time at the club. I feel very lucky and privileged to be in this position. But I realise we've got a big game as a team and hopefully we can put on a show for them and draw level in this series,"

Hameed notably scored 31 and 82 in his debut Test against India in Rajkot. But the youngster sustained a finger injury and a form slump and took a long time to regain his spot. However, after replacing Dom Sibley in the ongoing series, he has made a compelling case for a long-term opener slot.

Haseeb Hameed opens up on his lows after the 2016 series in India:

England Nets Session

The right-handed batsman sees his career setback after a memorable debut in 2016, claiming it was fate. Hameed stated there could be numerous reasons for it and believes it propelled him to success.

"It's difficult, I feel like there's a number of reasons and there's not many reasons why. It's an interesting one. The way I put it in my mind now is that it was something that was just part of the journey. I guess it was quite extreme in terms of the highs of India then the lows were very low. It was just part of something that I had to experience. I guess there's a number of different reasons as to why that could be the case,"

Hameed has made scores of 0, 9, 68, 0, and 63. The youngster's 67 at the Oval in the second innings of the fourth Test ended tamely. He survived 193 deliveries before Ravindra Jadeja bowled him. Hameed will want to pass the three-figure mark on his home ground.