England kicked off their only Test match against Zimbabwe, both sides locked horns at the Trent Bridge, Nottingham, from May 22. While England has a star-studded lineup filled with the likes of Ben Stokes, Joe Root, and many more stars, Zimbabwe will be hoping to pull off a big upset as they gear up to take on the mighty English in their own home.
One of the most notable inclusions in Zimbabwe’s playing XI for the only Test is 28-year-old Ben Curran. It is worth noting that Ben is the brother of England’s Sam and Tom Curran.
Many have come forward to ask the question of why Ben Curran represents Zimbabwe when his brothers play for England. It is interesting to note that Ben Curran plays for Zimbabwe, as it is the birth country of his father, Kevin. It is interesting to note that Kevin Curran played for Zimbabwe between 1983 and 1987; he represented the side in 11 ODIs.
He acquired English residency and played county cricket for Northamptonshire for eight years between 1991 and 1999. Where Ben Curran, like his brothers, had the option to play for England, he did not have the numbers to back it up, so he made the conscious decision to try again in Zimbabwe.
"I didn't have the immediate success my brothers did. It took me until I was a couple of years out of school to get myself the opportunity to play on a professional level but everyone's got their own path. It doesn't really happen that quickly for a lot of people. If I take myself out of it, I know that if they weren't my brothers, we wouldn't be having the same conversation. There's no timeline on anything and especially not in professional sport. Not everyone, not just in my family, but in general, has quick success. It just took me a little longer,” Ben Curran had told ESPN.