'We have returned to where Bangladesh cricket stood in 2006-2008': Imrul Kayes bemoans backward slide
Former opener Imrul Kayes has launched an emotional rant at Bangladesh cricket in a Facebook post on Thursday, after the team’s disorganised displays in the tri-nation series in the United Arab Emirates. He had first voiced his frustration a day earlier.
“Watching the team’s performance makes me feel as though we have returned to where Bangladesh cricket stood in 2006–2008. If we have to remain in the same place even after all these years, then where exactly is our path to progress?”
Kayes played 131 international matches and expected the obvious reply about his own record.
“I may not have achieved anything particularly significant in my international cricket career or earned star status. But I tried my utmost for my country. Sometimes I feel that if we had received more freedom, opportunities and an environment in which to express ourselves, like the current generation of cricketers, perhaps my career could have been different too.”
He believes Bangladesh have lacked consistency on major stages such as the World Cup since 2010.
“I think one of the biggest reasons is the lack of long-term planning, inconsistency in team building, and the possibility that personal preferences, dislikes or egos influence decision-making.”
His remedy is a plan of at least four years covering selection, batting orders and team combinations, rather than judging each series on its result. His model is the 2015 World Cup side.
“That team had strong coordination, mutual understanding and a team-oriented mindset. A team is not simply a collection of 11 good cricketers; a team is much like a family. That family needs trust, understanding, a sense of responsibility and confidence in one another.”
The board and selectors drew his sharpest question.
“How realistic is it to include a new player in the team just one month before the World Cup and expect the highest level of performance from them? Of course, there may be a need to bring someone new into the team if a player is in exceptional form. But it should be part of a plan, not the result of a sudden decision.”
“My humble request to everyone serving on the board, working as selectors or responsible for managing the team is this: put the interests of Bangladesh cricket first, above personal preferences, differences of opinion and egos. No individual or position is permanent, but Bangladesh cricket belongs to all of us.”
Defeats hurt more when rivals gloat, he said, singling out Afghanistan.
“It hurts me when Bangladesh lose to Zimbabwe, but I feel even more disappointed when I see Bangladesh lose to a team like Afghanistan. This does not mean Afghanistan cannot play good cricket. Of course, they can, and I respect their progress in international cricket.”
He ended with a call for lasting ambition.
“We all want Bangladesh to win. But winning just one match or one series should not be our ultimate goal. Our goal should be to build a strong team that plays good cricket consistently and proves its worth at major tournaments such as the World Cup.”
His comments land as criticism of the tri-nation campaign grows, with the series serving as World Cup preparation, and the remarks on selection are likely to prompt fresh debate.