Tamim Iqbal: Need to have a purpose to make a comeback

Tamim Iqbal is in India right now, commentating on the ongoing Test series between India and Bangladesh. However, many believe that the batter with 15,192 runs in international cricket should rather be on the field and bat for Bangladesh. 

In an interview with Sportstar, Tamim shared an unpleasant experience prior to the ODI World Cup where he and Shakib Al Hasan had a meeting at the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) chief Nazmul Hasan’s residence, but dramatically, his name didn’t feature in the Bangladesh squad for the World Cup. 

“The way I finished, it wasn’t pleasant. So, for me to come back and play, I need to have a purpose,” Tamim told Sportstar. 

He further emphasised the need for a proper way forward for him and the team if he is to make a comeback to the team. However, the BCB has failed to do so. 

“I am not someone who would come back for the heck of it and then play just four or five games,” Tamim said. 

“What is the point? Everybody says, ‘Come back, we want you’, but if I turn up for five games, will that help Bangladesh cricket? If there is a proper plan in terms of what they want to do and achieve, then I can think about it, and we can talk accordingly.”

The Champions Trophy in 2025 looked like a natural conclusion to Tamim’s career after the 2023 ODI World Cup snub. The former captain feels that even if he makes a comeback now, it would be hard for him to gel in the team with his spot already taken by Najmul Hossain Shanto at the top of the order. 

“Now you are talking about the Champions Trophy, where you hardly have four to five ODIs, and there are three in the West Indies,” the left-hander said. 

“So, basically, you are talking about six to seven games. When I have taken a backseat, and somebody else has taken my role, I don’t think it makes sense to just come back for these number of games.

“But then, it’s a different thing if they (the BCB) tell me that we want to win the Champions Trophy or at least we want to qualify for the semifinals, and this will probably be the last tournament that the three or four senior players would play regardless of whatever the differences are and that the BCB will fix it. This is the way to approach people.”

Tamim also expressed that it’s the vindictiveness in the Bangladeshi cricket setup that soured his ambitions to play and perform for Bangladesh. 

“You can have bad relationships, or there could be differences with people, but when it comes to the national interest, everybody should be one, and there should not be any vindictiveness. Unfortunately, that happened,” Tamim exclaimed. 

“I’m a very emotional person, and whatever happened to me during those days, I did not take it nicely and decided to step away.”

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