Run-machine Anamul makes a compelling case

"If a person scores 1100 runs and doesn't get a chance, he doesn't have any more places to prove himself. So, I think he should get the opportunity."

— Mashrafe Bin Mortaza

As the Dhaka Premier League 2021-2022 came to an end yesterday, Anamul Haque Bijoy was standing on a massive 1138 runs. And even in his final innings of the season, he struck 96, missing out on what would have been another convincing ton.

Anamul's dreamlike season saw him turn into a run-machine. His 1138 runs made him a world-record holder too as he beat Tom Moody's record of scoring 917 runs, set in 1991 for Worcestershire. His 184-run knock in the match against Shinepukur Cricket Club is the third-highest individual score in Bangladesh's List A cricket.

A national team call up should be on the cards, but Bijoy finds himself in a competitive scenario with some of the best names in Bangladesh cricket.

The 29-year-old has knocked on the national team door before and had appeared in 38 ODIs since his debut in 2012 but when focus turns sharply to why he should not be in the national setup, his past misfortunes in not being able to hold his place also come up.

Having started on a high note in his debut series back in 2012, Bijoy last appeared in the national team colours during Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka in 2019 when he played the last match in a three-match ODI series. A year prior to that series, he relinquished opportunities after getting good starts in the tour of West Indies in 2018. There was something there to his shot selection and application which did not impress selectors for long.

 However, after such a magnanimous season, there are valid reasons for a national call up. His patience in building an innings, his current form and application- all point to a cricketer who has been able to re-motivate and reinvent himself but when it comes to the national setup, balance and continuity, these factors will be in the selectors' mind too. Which format will favour Bijoy's return?

The national team have their most stable opening setup in years with Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das, thus that balance does not make Bijoy's return any easier. Tamim is there in the Test side too and Mahmudul Hasan Joy has shown promise behind his years in the last two away Test series. The T20 format where Munim Shahriar and Mohammad Naim have recently appeared as openers, may be the most floating amongst all the formats and that is where Bijoy could make his mark.

Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza made a case for Bijoy's return to the national side yesterday after his side Legends of Rupganj's match against champions Sheikh Jamal ended.

Asked which players caught his attention in the league, Mashrafe said: "You can bring 10-12 players from the league but in terms of national team focus, you can target maybe one or two. In that regard, I think it's Bijoy. I said it before that he batted exceptionally and dominated. I think this is the time to consider Bijoy.

"If a person scores 1100 runs and doesn't get a chance, he doesn't have any more places to prove himself. So, I think he should get the opportunity."

 For Mashrafe, the T20I is the most plausible format but he also reminded that Bijoy can act as the 'third opener' who can come in due to injuries or lack of form. "This is their age to perform," he added and suggested that form should be taken advantage of and it remains to be seen whether selectors feel the same way after Bijoy followed up good BPL performances with a tremendous DPL.