It will be great if I selected again, says Tushar Imran

Tushar Imran, the 34-year-old batsman, struck his 31st First-Class century in the third round of ongoing National Cricket League which is the record for most First-Class centuries by a Bangladeshi.

The right-handed middle-order batsman scored seven centuries this year that made him considerable for another national call. Tushar played his last Test back in 2007. If he gets another call in the national team, it will be the great honour for him as he thinks.

The right-handed batsman talked to Sportskeeda exclusively on Friday afternoon. He spoke about various perspectives of his career and of course, about another national call.

You have struck as many as seven centuries in the ongoing domestic season of Bangladesh. Did you think you can do this years ago?

I did not think this way. But, you should always have a target while playing cricket. Many of the cricketers who played alongside me in the national side have retired. But, I have decided to retire after doing something memorable, not before that. I always try to maintain my consistency when I go in the middle. I took this challenge seriously. When I completed eight thousand FC runs, I intended to ten thousand and so on.

Don't you think about a national-comeback after scoring too many runs?

Honestly speaking, I did not think anything about that. I always try to score runs, and this is my lone job. Getting back to the national side is not up to me. If selectors think I have done enough, they do their job. I try to score as many runs as possible when I get a chance to bat in the middle.

Don’t you think that you deserve a call from the national side?

Look, I think my only job is to score runs. I don’t think about any outcome. If the selectors think that I have done enough to earn a national call, they decide it. I don’t think about national-call anymore.

Where do you get the inspiration from?

Playing for the national side should not be the only goal of a player. It is fine if someone can make the national team, but it is still fine if someone plays for his family, for his bread and butter. I don’t play cricket keeping the national-call in mind. I think I still have a lot of cricket in me to give in the domestic circuit. Not only me but also many cricketers are here who can give more in domestic cricket.

How does it feel when someone says that Tushar scores only in domestic cricket?

It is ok. But, many national cricketers play in domestic cricket too. I have to score to keep the place in my regional team. If you look at my National League team, Khulna Division, you see some great national stars. If I don’t score, I can’t keep my place in the team. So, I have to compete with them. I don't mind if someone tags me as a domestic cricketer.

What is the secret behind your fitness? It is not easy to score seven centuries in a single year.

If you are fit mentally, it is easy to score. The physical fitness only is not essential to score, but you have to be adjusted mentally also.

You are often tagged as a domestic cricketer by many of the higher officials of BCB. When you heard that, how does it feel? What is your point of view in that case?

Yes, I heard a selector saying that. But, what should I answer them, or what I could do if they don’t consider me? I can’t do anything without scoring runs whenever I get a chance to score.

Do you have any contact with any of the selectors after you struck three recent centuries?

No, none of them contacted me, and I don't like to contact them as well.

If somehow you get a call to the national side in the forthcoming Test series against Zimbabwe, what is the target you want to set?

I don’t want to think too far. I will try to grab the chance by doing what I usually do in the domestic cricket. If I get selected, It must be a great achievement for me. I played my last Test back in 2007. If I get another chance, it must be a great achievement. And, one thing I want to say you that, I am not frustrated.