Bangladesh have been getting regular success in Tests at home recently and despite regular contributions, the left-arm spinner is out of the limelight
In the galaxy of Bangladesh cricket, Taijul Islam may not be the brightest star, yet he does the job the day in and day out to enhance his side’s glory.
Bangladesh have been getting regular success in Tests at home recently and despite regular contributions, the left-arm spinner is out of the limelight.
The man is modest, timid and above all, he does the job with a devotee-like persistence as his methodology is simple and his key is perseverance.
That apparently quotidian approach, which is extremely efficient in longer-version, has made him the most successful bowler in Bangladesh, and Taijul said he keeps this intention simple all the time.
He got just one wicket in the first innings against the West Indies in the first Test match, but got six in the second to help the Tigers clinch another historic win, and the 26-year old said he kept the same intention in both the innings.
“Honestly, I had the same intention in both the innings. My intention and focus had not changed when I was not getting wickets in the first innings. I always look to give as minimum runs as possible even if I am not getting wickets. I think that’s how it goes in cricket. One will take wickets while one will give runs, while the opposite will happen on a different day,” Taijul explained to the media Monday.
Taijul in his last three Test appearances for Bangladesh has registered four five-fors.
In the absence of strike bowler Shakib al Hasan, Taijul emerged as the leader of the pack in the two- Test series against Zimbabwe, bagging 18 wickets.
Shakib returned to the fold through the first Test against the Windies, but the man from Natore maintained his good performance in the series.
Bangladesh in the first Test secured a 64-run win against the West Indies and the spin quartet of Shakib, Taijul, Mehedi Hasan Miraz and debutant Nayeem Hasan did the bulk of the bowling.
Despite having many spinners in the side, Taijul was aware of his responsibility.
“It does not matter how many spinners are in attack as I always try not to give away runs. I tried to do well and wickets came by itself,” said the left-armer.
Taijul got 6/33 in Chittagong, the best by a Bangladeshi in the fourth innings of a Test.
Enamul Haque Jr held the previous record of 6/45 against Zimbabwe in 2005.
The figure is also the joint best in the second innings of an opponent, equaling Sakib’s record, which was achieved this year against the same opposition in Kingston.
Taijul, who holds Bangladesh’s best bowling figure of 8/39, against Zimbabwe in 2014, has also become only the second man in 2018 to grab four five-fors, along with West Indies skipper Jason Holder, who is missing from the series due to injury.
Taijul has two more records to grab in this Test as he is currently in fourth spot of the highest wicket-takers in 2018 with 40 wickets, six less than leader Kagiso Rabada, and he is also six away from the 100-wicket mark.
If he can reach that milestone in the Dhaka Test, starting Friday, he will make another record of reaching the mark in just 23 Tests, breaking Shakib’s record of 28 Tests.
But these numbers do not bother him at all.
“I honestly do not think of all these. My job is to bowl well and I try to do that and will keep on doing it. If it is in my luck, I will get wickets. Good deliveries get you wicket so I try to keep focus on that,” said Taijul.
When queried of his chance to break Shakib’s record, Taijul said, “I think there is no one who can be compared to Shakib bhai. It feels great when I get wickets despite Shakib bhai being in the team. After a good day in the field, I feel I will not be able to be as big as a bowler like him, but will try to get close. But at the end of the day, Shakib bhai is the only one, and I think he is incomparable.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune.
