In a family defined by the soaring careers of all-rounders—his late father Kevin Curran for Zimbabwe, and brothers Tom and Sam for England—Ben Curran was always the outlier. The opening batter, the specialist, the quiet achiever.
But at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday last week, he didn't just achieve; he wrote a new chapter.
Anchoring Zimbabwe's innings-and-73-run demolition of Afghanistan, Curran blasted a magnificent 121, claiming the man of the match award and, more remarkably, becoming the first cricketer in the entire Curran dynasty to score a Test century.
It was an innings that forced the cricketing world to look up, not at the famous names on the back of his shirt, but at the man who stepped out of the shadow to forge a legacy entirely his own.
The Curran name is synonymous with the sport, boasting a pedigree where Tom (2 Tests, 28 ODIs, 30 T20Is) and Sam (24 Tests, 35 ODIs, 63 T20Is) ply their trade for England, and their father, Kevin, represented Zimbabwe in 11 ODIs.
Yet, for all their collective success, neither of his brothers has reached the three-figure mark in Test cricket.
It is Ben, the 29-year-old Zimbabwean opener, who has secured this unique family distinction.
Adding to the uniqueness of his journey is the fact that Ben is the only specialist batter in his family—everyone else is an all-rounder.
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He’s well aware of this fact, yet he’s determined to change it.
"I still do bowl, but I haven't got any overs yet for Zimbabwe," he admitted. "I'll definitely look to add another asset to my game going forward."
For now, his focus remains on his primary, and now century-making, role.
The knock of 121 runs off 263 balls in his eighth Test was a testament to his method: patience and grit.
"I think as an opening batter, I've just found my way in the last few years," he reflected. "With more experience and the more games I play, I seem to have found my tempo and the way I want to go about things."
His century against a new bowling attack was a masterclass in adaptation.
Facing the Afghanistan bowlers for the first time, Curran had to quickly assess the threat.
"When there's a new ball as an opening batter, you always need to realise what threat is coming at you... It's just realising what they're trying to do and how they're trying to get me out," he explained.
"I'm trying to counter that with different plans."
The innings was characterised by resolve. "It swung for quite a while. There was a little bit in the wicket throughout. I found a good test, but as I said earlier, I found how I want to play as a test batter... I think I found mine to get stuck in, really grind and be that anchor for the team."
This stoicism paid off, with his knock providing the foundation for Zimbabwe's comfortable innings victory.
Since committing to represent Zimbabwe, Ben has quietly built a strong record, boasting one century and one half-century in 8 Tests, alongside a formidable one ton and two half-centuries in eight ODIs.
This makes him the first Curran in history to score a century in both Test and ODI formats—another family first secured by the elder brother.
As for the reaction from his famous siblings and mother back in England, Ben knows what to expect.
"I'm sure they'll just be really pleased for me. We're always happy for each other with the successes we have, both on and off the field. I'm sure I'll give my family a call later and discuss today's proceedings."
Despite his success in the longer formats, he’s been overlooked for T20 International selection, an omission he’s determined to rectify.
"I've got ambitions to represent Zimbabwe in the T20s," he firmly stated.
"I think I'm experienced enough to adapt to all three formats. My record in the T20, I'd like to think, is good enough to give me that opportunity. I'm going to keep knocking on that door, and when I get that opportunity, I'd like to think I can take it with both hands."
Ben Curran’s Test century is more than just a personal milestone; it’s a defining statement.
By choosing his own path and carving out a crucial role as Zimbabwe's rock-solid opening batter, he is proving that while his surname carries history, the spotlight is now brightly fixed on the man who delivered when it mattered most.
