Taijul had come under fire after a disappointing outing in Bangladesh’s three-wicket loss in the Sylhet Test, where he managed to claim just two wickets — the joint-lowest by a spinner in that game alongside Zimbabwe’s Wessly Madhevere. His underperformance, especially in spin-friendly home conditions, drew criticism on social media.
But the 33-year-old responded emphatically, finishing the first day in Chattogram with five wickets, helping to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 227 for 9 after they chose to bat. Playing his 53rd Test, Taijul didn’t hold back when addressing the criticism he faced following the first match.
"I think those who criticise a player who has played so many matches after watching just one match don't understand the game," Taijul said during the press conference.
Although firm in defending himself, Taijul also admitted that he fell short of expectations in Sylhet.
"There is a matter of being satisfied. It's not a good thing, the way I bowled in Sylhet, considering that I'm a player who has played 50 Tests. It feels good to be able to bounce back after that," he added.
