Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal labelled Taijul Islam as "the most underrated bowler in the world at the moment" after the left-arm spinner claimed his 16th five-wicket haul on Day 1 of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Chattogram on Monday.

Taijul's five-for helped reduce Zimbabwe to 227-9 at Stumps after they opted to bat first.

"The most underrated bowler in the world at the moment. Look at the stats of the other current bowlers and you will understand my opinion. Well done TAIJUL on another five-wicket," Tamim posted on Facebook, lauding Taijul's performance.

However, the question remains. Is Taijul truly underrated, or is such a claim an exaggeration?

Since his Test debut in 2014, no Bangladesh bowler has taken more wickets than Taijul to date – 224 - ranking him 13th in the world in that period. A veteran of 53 Tests, Taijul has missed only 16 out of the 69 matches Bangladesh have played during this time, underlining his consistent presence, particularly in home conditions in which he has been an integral figure in the Tigers' spin attack.

With star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's absence, Taijul has now assumed the undisputed role of lead spinner. The previous overshadowing by Shakib's stature no longer applies. Thus, calling him "underrated" seems misplaced, especially when he has long been recognised as a key member of Bangladesh's bowling unit.

While it's true that media comparisons with Shakib, at times, diverted attention and eclipsed the few instances in which Taijul managed to outperform Shakib, such circumstances hardly qualify him as being persistently underrated. It even begs the question whether comparisons with the country's greatest-ever cricketer make Taijul a perennially underrated player?

When asked about Tamim's Facebook post in a press conference, Taijul responded, "Yes, I also believe I am underrated. You guys know it better."

This acknowledgement and self-perception appears somewhat detached from reality. Rather, it borders more on insecurity and a constant tendency of selling oneself short instead of making an accurate assessment of his standing in the Bangladesh team. Taijul's credentials speak for themselves, thanks to steady performances and an established role. On top of that, there is little competition for his place in the eleven.

Tamim's post comes after Taijul was slammed for his underwhelming display in Bangladesh's three-wicket defeat in the first Test in Sylhet where he managed just two wickets, the joint-lowest tally for a spinner in that match alongside Zimbabwe's Wessly Madhevere. Hence criticism was inevitable, given the spin-friendly conditions and the expectations placed on a senior figure like Taijul.

In response to the criticism, Taijul said: "I think those who criticise a player who has played so many matches after watching just one match don't understand the game."

Such a dismissive attitude raises questions that after over a decade in international cricket, should Taijul not expect accountability for underperformance, especially in home conditions where spinners are expected to dominate and make meaningful impact?

Tamim urged critics to "check the stats" to validate his claim of Taijul being underrated. Yet, the numbers tell a different story. Taijul's bowling average and strike-rate do not place him amongst the elite. Despite ranking 13th for most wickets taken since his debut, Taijul ranks 18 and 19 for average and strike-rate, respectively, in the top 20 wicket-takers' list in that period. The picture becomes bleaker as currently, his average (32.01) is the worst amongst any of the bowlers ranked in ICC's top 30.

Thus, while Taijul's contributions deserve acknowledgment, portraying him as a grossly overlooked figure in the Bangladesh team does not align with facts. It is a narrative perhaps better suited to sentiment than reality.