The Unsung Hero: Imrul Kayes and The Silent Symphony of Bangladesh’s Top Order

In cricket, a few batsmen stand out as ruthless marauders, born with an innate ability to dismantle bowling attacks. Players like Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and Tamim Iqbal captivate fans with their sheer audacity. When these dashers are on the crease, they demand the spotlight, reducing the role of their batting partners to mere spectators. Yet, cricket is rarely a one-man show. At the other end of the pitch stands the unsung hero—steady, composed, and silently vital—whose role in anchoring the innings goes unnoticed but remains indispensable. For Bangladesh, that steady presence for many years has been Imrul Kayes.

The Enigma of Tamim Iqbal’s Explosive Brilliance

Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s dashing opener, embodies a brand of cricket that sends adrenaline coursing through crowds. When his bat starts blazing, stadiums erupt with euphoria, craving every boundary with growing hunger. But with Tamim, the ecstasy is often short-lived. His dismissal casts an eerie silence over the ground, shifting the pressure squarely onto the shoulders of his teammates. Over the years, Bangladesh’s middle order has wavered under such pressure, often crumbling after Tamim’s exit. 

While Tamim’s brilliance can be exhilarating, his flamboyance comes with risks. He is not a batsman built to carry the innings to the end in the traditional sense. His game is about momentum, not longevity. Bangladesh, therefore, needed an opener with the temperament to build innings brick by brick—a stabilizing force who could hold one end, maintain composure, and rotate the strike without surrendering to the chaos. That steady hand would arrive in the form of Imrul Kayes.

A Rocky Start and a Turning Point

Kayes’s early career was far from impressive. After making his first-class debut in 2006, his initial years at the international level were riddled with inconsistency. He struggled in his Test debut against South Africa in 2008, scoring just 10 and 4 in two innings. His introduction to One-Day Internationals (ODIs) wasn’t much better, managing only 12 runs in his first outing against New Zealand. His batting in those formative years was frustrating—erratic, riddled with lapses in concentration, and lacking the patience required to construct meaningful innings. 

However, the year 2010 marked a turning point in Kayes’s career. On Bangladesh’s tour to New Zealand, he emerged as a different player—confident, focused, and deliberate. In that breakthrough year, Kayes amassed 867 runs in ODIs, finishing as the fifth-highest run-scorer of the year. His maiden ODI century came against New Zealand, a symbol of his newfound resilience and composure. From that moment, he began to redefine his role—not as a flashy crowd-pleaser but as a dependable innings-builder.

The Yin to Tamim’s Yang

Tamim and Kayes complement each other in a way that balances Bangladesh’s batting dynamics. Where Tamim dazzles with boundaries, Kayes anchors the innings with singles and well-placed twos. If Tamim is the lightning bolt that strikes fear into the bowlers, Kayes is the steady drizzle that quietly chips away at their resolve. His ability to rotate the strike, pick gaps in tight field settings, and keep the scoreboard ticking gives Bangladesh much-needed stability at the top of the order.

Though overshadowed by the explosive brilliance of “Boom-Boom” Tamim, Kayes's presence brings a calming effect to the innings. His game is built on patience rather than spectacle, endurance over extravagance. He has a knack for placing the ball into gaps with precision, reminiscent of Bangladesh’s batting pioneer, Aminul Islam. Over time, his appetite for runs has grown, and his knack for pacing an innings has earned him consecutive man-of-the-match awards—proof of his growing stature in the side.

The Redemption Arc: From Frustration to Mr. Dependable

For many years, Bangladesh’s top order suffered from instability. The absence of Shahriar Nafees, the country’s most elegant timer of the ball, left a gaping hole after his sudden exile from international cricket in 2008. Kayes was thrust into the spotlight, and though his initial performances were underwhelming, his transformation over time has been remarkable. By 2010, he had evolved into the dependable opener Bangladesh had long craved—someone who could drop anchor, absorb pressure and keep the innings afloat when the aggressive stroke-makers faltered.

Kayes’s value lies not only in his technical ability but also in his temperament. He puts a price on his wicket, rarely gifting it away as he once did. In an era where Bangladesh often relied on the brilliance of Tamim or the all-round genius of Shakib Al Hasan to win matches, Kayes emerged as the steady heartbeat of the batting order—quietly effective, relentlessly determined, and utterly reliable.

A Name Carved in Shadows

While Tamim Iqbal may continue to dominate headlines with his boundary-strewn innings, Imrul Kayes’s role in Bangladesh’s cricketing narrative is equally significant. Cricket, after all, is not only about fireworks but also about those who keep the flame burning through quiet, patient toil. Kayes’s contribution at the top of the order ensures that the flamboyance of others is not wasted.

As Bangladesh moves forward, the importance of having a player like Kayes—someone who thrives in the shadows—cannot be overstated. He is no longer just Tamim’s silent partner but a batsman who has etched his own name into the annals of Bangladesh cricket. The crowd may not erupt in applause for every single or two he scampers, but his innings serve as the foundation upon which greater victories are built. And in the end, every team needs a Kayes—an unsung hero who ensures the show goes on.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar