In 37 Tests, Tamim Iqbal has spent time together with at least 21 cricketers at the crease, but perhaps he never felt as comfortable as he does with Imrul Kayes on the other side.
The pair reunited on Wednesday to write a new chapter in Bangladesh cricket, putting the country’s first ever double century stand for the first wicket, giving them a firm control over Zimbabwe in Chittagong.
The 224-run stand, their third century stand together, also made Tamim and Imrul the most successful pair for Bangladesh for any wicket, leapfrogging Sakib al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.
They now have 1,523 runs together in 34 innings, surpassing Sakib and Mushfiq, who played one more innings to assemble 1,404 runs.
Apart from Imrul, Tamim has notable partnerships with just one other batsman, Junaed Siddique, his opening partner on his debut Test, who together scored 1008 runs in 27 innings.
Tamim’s understanding with Imrul, however, cannot be described with mere statistics.
Since beginning their journey together in Bloemfontein in 2008, they gave Bangladesh some solidity at the top of the order, something they never enjoyed before or after.
Imrul’s mere presence motivated Tamim and this may have inspired selectors to retain him in the side for a long period, despite him scoring just one half-century in his first 16 Tests.
They ran out of patience after a home series against Pakistan and dropped Imrul from the squad in December 2011. Incidentally, Tamim was never the same batsman since then.
Selectors recalled Imrul for the Sri Lanka Test earlier this year only to ask him bat at one-down. It denied them an opportunity to bat together as Tamim got out before Imrul took the crease in both innings.
They, however, met at the crease in St Vincent in September this year, and unsurprisingly put a 70-run partnership in alien conditions, against a hostile attack.
‘We understand each other’s game, so if we plan earlier, batting becomes easier,’ Tamim said on Wednesday.
‘If a partner understands your style of cricket, he can spot a rush of blood during the course of an innings. It is very helpful when he can calm you down.’
Tamim said, when he batting on between 55 and 63 he was trying to attack too much. Imrul came to him at that stage to calm him down, which enabled him to complete his century.
At 98, when Tamim was looking for a double which was not there, Imrul stopped him, saying that the move was unnecessary.
‘He calmed me down, which was helpful,’ said Tamim. ‘I try to calm him down when he is being too excited. I enjoy batting with him.’
Imrul added that the benefit was mutual as Tamim also helped him understand the situation in his comeback innings.
‘We talk a lot when we bat together,’ said Imrul. ‘When he is facing a problem, I tell him and he does too when I am batting.’
‘He was telling me how Elton] Chigumbura would bowl before we were walking in to bat. It does make batting easier with better communication.’
-With New Age input
