Tamim best opening partner, Shakib best captain: Imrul

Bangladesh opener Imrul Kayes' red-ball career ended today at the end of the fifth round match between Khulna Division and Dhaka Division in Mirpur, which Imrul's side Khulna lost by nine wickets.

Imrul had announced beforehand that he would hang up his boots in the longer formats at the end of this match.

The left-hander has played a total of 138 first-class games, 39 of which were Test matches for Bangladesh.

In what was a stop-start Test career that spanned across 16 years, Imrul made 1797 runs at an average of 24.28 with three centuries. He ends his first-class tally with 7947 runs, averaging 33.53 with 20 tons under his belt.

Imrul has opened the innings with many partners in his lengthy red-ball career and today when he was asked by the media who was the best of them all, the left-hander answered, "Tamim Iqbal, definitely.

"Tamim and I were the most successful. I used to enjoy batting alongside him. I never hesitated to tell him my strengths and weaknesses. When we batted together, I used to say to him whenever I felt I was struggling, or going through a tough period. Tamim would understand and that's very important.

"If you don't have a good understanding with your partner, then it gets difficult. Everyone can't just carry on playing the way they want to. When you have a good understanding, the partnership benefits from it."

Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Tamim and Imrul shared a world record 312-run opening stand – the biggest ever first wicket partnership in a team's second innings in a Test match – against Pakistan in Khulna back in 2015. And as his red-ball career comes to a close, Imrul looked back fondly on his finest moment in Test cricket.

"I played at the 2015 World Cup, where I didn't do well. After returning, there was a lot of talk about whether I should be in the team. [Head coach] Chandika Hathurusingha said some things to me on the day of the match. I was under some pressure going into that match. I scored a fifty in the first innings. Then I kept wickets for almost 150 (132) overs. I was really tired under the heat.

"When Tamim and I began, we were close to defeat. After we completed a 100-run stand, Tamim told me, 'Buddy, you and I can draw this Test. I know it will be tough. But if we try a little harder we can take this match close to a draw.' We just kept batting and the score reached 200 and then 250, then we started believing that we can draw the match."

Imrul is one of the most successful captains in the Bangladesh Premier League with three titles as skipper of the Comilla Victorians. But he never got a chance to captain the national team in any format.

In the Bangladesh team, Imrul has played under many captains and the southpaw named Shakib Al Hasan as the best among all of them.

"I have played under many, from Mushfiqur [Rahim], [Mohammad] Ashraful bhai to Mashrafe [Bin Mortaza] bhai. All in all, if you ask me who has captained Bangladesh the best, I would say Shakib Al Hasan. Because under him, I knew what my role was. He used to openly discuss with me about what my role is, how I need to play."

Imrul also praised Hathurusingha as the best coach he has had in the national side, despite his flaws.

"He [Hathurusingha] is definitely a controversial coach, but from a technical standpoint, he was an excellent coach. He maybe had an attitude problem, he didn't get along with everyone. But as a batter, I learnt a lot from him."

The 37-year-old also explained why he decided to step aside.

"Maybe I could've carried on for two more years. Many have told me that I could've continued playing for two more years. But I feel, two years later those same people would ask me, 'Bhai, when are you retiring.' I felt that rather than hearing that, it's better for me to step aside now. It's important to have this realisation while you still have your dignity intact.

"There are many up and coming cricketers, it's their time to play. My career is coming to an end. A new kid will get a chance in my place. He will get a long rope. I thought about many such things and then came to this decision."