The fighting spirit and the eagerness of utilising the opportunity of playing a Test saw Imrul Kayes register his career’s second century on the opening day of the third match against Zimbabwe yesterday.
The call-up in place of Shamsur Rahman in the squad was unexpected for Imrul who otherwise had a decent outing in 2014. After scoring his maiden hundred against Sri Lanka in February, Imrul lost his place from the national fold in the series against the West Indies two months back. He made nine and 25 in the last Test that he played in the Caribbean island before a poor ODI series was followed by skin disease which saw him fly back to Bangladesh.
Getting the call, Imrul had been saying of making use of this opportunity to seal a place in the line-up and the rest, as they say, is history as the left-hander struck 130.
“I was watching Bangladesh play quite well in this series. I did not expect to play in this series. I knew that next time I get a chance I cannot be stable without scoring a hundred. I have to score runs. There is no alternative to scoring runs. You have to perform,” said a confident looking Imrul at the post-day conference.
“Sometimes it is frustrating not to have an established place in the side and I had to perform exceptionally well to catch the eyes of the selectors. But these things never bothered me and I said to myself that whenever I get the opportunity I have to score big,” he added.
The 27-year-old partnered Tamim Iqbal to register the highest ever partnership by a Bangladeshi opening pair in Tests, breaking their own record of 185 against England at Lord’s in 2010.
“We talk a lot when we bat together. When he (Tamim) is facing a problem, I talk to him and he does the same. He was telling me how (Elton) Chigumbura would bowl as we were walking in to bat. It does make batting easier with better communication,” said Imrul.
Imrul is considered as an opening batsman but also offers the option of batting at No 3. The left-handed, however, said, “It is slightly tricky to bat at No 3, you have to wait wearing your pads, which makes you uneasy.”