Naseer Hussain

International career

Nasser Hussain, born on March 28, 1968, is a former cricketer and current commentator for England. His cricket career lasted from 1990 to 2004, with Hussain captaining the England team from 1999 to 2003. He was a right-handed batsman who scored over 30,000 runs in more than 650 matches across first-class and List-A cricket, including 62 centuries. His highest Test score of 207, achieved in the 1997 Ashes series at Edgbaston, was called "touched by genius" by Wisden.

Hussain played 96 Test matches, scoring 5,764 runs, and took 67 catches, mostly in the second slip and gully. He also played 88 One Day Internationals. Born in Madras, his family moved to England when he was young. He joined Essex in 1987 and switched from spin bowling to batting after struggling with leg-spin. His breakthrough came in 1989 when he scored 990 runs for Essex in the County Championship. He made his England debut, though injuries and bad form limited his early international career. By 1996, Hussain became a regular Test player.

Known for his fiery temperament early in his career, Hussain became England's captain in 1999, succeeding Alec Stewart. Under his leadership, England won four consecutive Test series and climbed to third in the Test rankings. His time as captain, which lasted 45 Test matches, is considered one of the most successful. After stepping down in 2003, Hussain continued to play until 2004. He retired after Andrew Strauss made his Test debut.

Hussain’s cricket career is remembered for his skill as a batsman and his ability to lead England during challenging times.

• 1982 (14 years old): Hussain was chosen to play for England Schools. Here, he met Mike Atherton, who would later become his England teammate. They both captained and played for England age-group teams.
• 1983 (15 years old): Hussain became the captain of England Schools. He grew taller, which affected his bowling. His skills declined, causing frustration as he struggled to meet his father’s expectations.
• Late 1980s to early 1990s: After losing confidence in his bowling, Hussain focused on batting. He became the first under-16 player at Forest to score 1,000 runs in a season since 1901.

Test Cricket

• 1990: Hussain played his first Test against the West Indies. England won, but the West Indies took the series 2-1. Hussain did not play in another Test for three years.
• 1993: Hussain returned to play in the Ashes series. He scored 71 and 47 not out in the 3rd Test, which helped him stay in the team for the rest of the series.
• 1996: Hussain came back to play against India. He batted at No. 3, a challenging position for England. He scored 128 in the first innings and was named Man of the Match. He was also named Man of the Series for his consistent performance.

Test Captaincy

• 1999 - 2003: Hussain became the captain of England. He led the team in 45 Test matches and won 17 of them, one of the most successful periods for England cricket.
• 2000: Under Hussain, England won a 3–1 series against the West Indies at home. In the same year, they also won away series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• 2003: After England’s disappointing 2003 Cricket World Cup, Hussain stepped down as the One Day International captain. Michael Vaughan took over. Hussain also retired as Test captain after the South Africa series.

One Day Internationals (ODI)

• 2002: Hussain scored 115 against India in the final of the NatWest Series. His partnership with Marcus Trescothick (109) helped set a target of 326 runs. India came close to chasing it, but Hussain’s innings became famous, especially for his gesture towards the media after reaching his century.

Retirement

• 2004: Hussain played his final Test against New Zealand at Lord’s. He scored 34 and 103 not out, hitting the winning runs.

Hussain’s leadership and strategic thinking made a strong impression. Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar called him the best captain he played against.

Leagues Participation

Hussain did not play in any professional leagues during his career. His focus was primarily on representing the national team and playing for Essex.

Domestic career

Nasser Hussain started his cricket journey at a very young age. At eight years old, he played for the Essex Under-11s, and by 12, he was the youngest player on the Essex Under-15s team. During this time, he also studied at Forest School in Walthamstow.

Hussain faced challenges when he lost his ability to bowl at the same level. His father kept pushing him to bowl, while Hussain struggled with frustration. He felt he was letting his father down. This pressure from his father was something Hussain carried throughout his career. After his bowling abilities declined, he started to focus on batting. He became captain of the Essex Under-16s and moved up the batting order to score more runs and bowl less. He reached a milestone by becoming the first Essex Under-16 player at Forest School to score 1,000 runs in a season since 1901.

In 1989, Hussain impressed selectors by scoring 990 points in the County Championship with Essex, which helped him earn a spot on the England national team. He played a key role in helping Essex win the County Championship in 1991.

In 1999, Hussain became the captain of Essex and also joined the England World Cup squad.

Records and achievements

Nasser Hussain has had an impressive cricket career. Here are some of his major accomplishments:

• 2002: Awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to cricket in the New Year Honours List.
• 2005: Given Honorary Life Membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
• Career Stats: Scored more than 30,000 runs in over 650 matches across all formats. He also hit 62 centuries.
• Set a world record for catching a cricket ball dropped from a great height. He caught the ball from a Batcam drone at Lord's Stadium in London from a height of 32 meters. Later, he caught it again from 49 meters. The record is listed in the Guinness World Records.
• 1999–2003: Was the captain of the England cricket team. Under his leadership, the team won four straight Test series and ranked third in the ICC Test rankings.
• Frequently received Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards.

Personal life

Nasser Hussain was born in Madras, India, into a Muslim family. His father, Raza Jawad 'Joe' Hussain, was a cricket and field hockey player. He was also a descendant of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot State. Nasser's mother, Shireen, originally named Patricia Price, is English.

As a child, Nasser’s first cricket experiences were when his older brothers, Mehriyar and Abbas, played at Chepauk, while he ran after the ball. His family moved to England in 1975 for better education. They settled in Ilford, and Nasser later worked at an indoor cricket school in Ilford, where he practiced with his brothers.

Nasser has been married to Karen since 1993. They have three children: two sons, Joel and Jacob, and a daughter, Layla. All three play cricket for Hutton Cricket Club in Essex. His brother, Mehriyar, also played first-class cricket.

Finance

As of 2025, Nasser Hussain's net worth is estimated to be between $100,000 and $1 million.

Cars

Nasser Hussain owns a collection of luxury cars, including brands like Lamborghini, Porsche, Bentley, and Mercedes-Benz.

Scandals

In 2022, Hussain criticized India’s performance in the first six overs of the T20 Cricket World Cup semi-final against England. He felt that India was using outdated strategies.

In 2023, he said India could win in any conditions, as shown during the tour of Australia. He stressed that the team should learn from past mistakes and choose the right players based on the conditions.

In 2024, Hussain commented on Suryakumar Yadav’s performance in ODIs and T20Is. He also predicted that South Africa and England would meet in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Fans

Nasser Hussain is respected for his opinions and analysis. Many cricket fans value his views on players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. In 2020, he gained recognition for his insightful comments about different games and players.