Haseeb Hameed has been appointed captain of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.
The top-order batter, who was named as vice captain in 2021, will assume the responsibility of leading the County Championship and Metro Bank One Day Cup sides on the field.
The announcement follows Steven Mullaney's decision to step back from the role after six years at the helm.
“My first feelings having been offered the captaincy are a sense of immense pride and excitement,” Hameed said.
“From the moment I arrived at Trent Bridge, I was made to feel welcome and encouraged to be myself and I hope that, under my captaincy, everyone can feel the same.
“I relish the opportunity to influence games, whether with the bat or through decisions on and off the field.
“In the games I have captained, I have really enjoyed the experience and leading Nottinghamshire is a genuine honour.
“My philosophy will be based on giving individuals the freedom to express themselves and play to their strengths.
“We have a highly skilled bunch of players, we’ve recruited well and we’ve also got guys who will have the chance to put their hand up and stake a claim for a place in the side.
“We saw that Division One cricket was a step up last year, but having had the taste for it, we can push on now.
“It is a strong, united dressing room with full belief that we can achieve great things over the next few years, and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to help us do so.”
Hameed joined Nottinghamshire ahead of the 2020 season, having initially flourished as a teen at Lancashire.
Since joining Notts, he has accrued a total of 2,860 runs in the County Championship. His six tons and 18 fifties include a top score of 196 against Derbyshire in a stand of 406 with Ben Duckett.
That score helped the right-hander to accrue 1,235 runs in the 2022 season at an average of 58.80 - the second time he had breached the 1,000-run barrier in a First-Class season, having become the fifth-youngest batter to do so in 2016.
After leading England Lions on their tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year, Hameed enjoyed his maiden experience of First-Class captaincy for the Green and Golds in a spirited draw at eventual champions Surrey in July 2023.
In that fixture, he managed an injury-stricken bowling attack and contributed scores of 67 and 44 not out in his two innings.
Nottinghamshire’s Head Coach Peter Moores oversaw Hameed’s development in the North West before his arrival at Trent Bridge.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to know Hass for some time, and I’ve watched him grow a lot as a person and a player,” Moores said.
“He has overcome challenges, each of which have made him stronger, and he’s retained a narrow focus and self-belief which make him the player he is.
“I’ve been impressed by his captaincy in the One Day Cup and in the County Championship. That game at Surrey was one of our best performances of the season in difficult circumstances - he and the team showed real grit, which bodes well.
“He is a very balanced man, who possesses a real determination and drive, all attributes which make him a strong leader.
“He has the respect of players and staff through his knowledge and experience within the game, and we’re excited to move forwards with him as captain.”
In List A cricket for the Outlaws, Hameed has made 513 runs in 17 innings, including two tons and a pair of half-centuries, and he led his side to the knock-out stages at the first time of asking in 2022.
He made his Vitality Blast debut for Notts in 2023.
“As club captain of Nottinghamshire, you’ve not only got to be a leader on the field, but embody the values of the club, and that’s something Haseeb does wholeheartedly," added Nottinghamshire's Director of Cricket, Mick Newell.
“He has a great way about him; He possesses a deep desire to be the best he can be without compromising his awareness of, and empathy for, others.
“As a young man who has played a lot of cricket, he knits together the range of characters at the club. He can relate to players across the dressing room and he has got everyone’s respect as a result.
“Having consolidated on the pitch in 2022, we’re fully behind him taking us forwards.”
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