Bangladesh’s senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin has confirmed that Litton Kumar Das will return to the ODI side in a new role, with the batter expected to occupy a middle-order position in the upcoming three-match series against Pakistan.
Litton, who is making his comeback to the 50-over format after being out of Bangladesh’s ODI plans since July last year, is likely to move away from his usual opening role — a position from which he scored all five of his ODI centuries.
Team Strategy Behind Batting Order Change
Ahead of the Pakistan series, Litton batted at No. 5 in a practice match against the BCL All Stars XI during Bangladesh’s preparations. The move indicates the team management’s plan to utilize him as a stabilising presence in the middle order.
“I think team is bigger than individual,” Salahuddin said.
“It’s true that he batted at the top for most part of his ODI career but at the same time we don’t feel he doesn’t have what it takes to shine in the middle order,” he said.
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The coaching staff believes Litton’s experience can help address a gap in the middle order following the retirements of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah.
“At this point there is a gap in the middle order as some of our experienced campaigners like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah retired and we feel we need another experienced campaigner to fill those vacant positions, and as a result we opted to bring him in the middle order,” Salahuddin explained.
Experience in the Middle Order
Salahuddin also pointed out that Litton has previously shown his ability to perform in middle-order roles, particularly in Test cricket.
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“Litton’s experience (in the middle order) is very important here and if you look at his Test cricket record, it’s outstanding. He bats at six there, sometimes five or six,” he said.
Since July last year, Litton has played only three List A matches, all in the Bangladesh Cricket League one-day tournament, scoring 10, 55 and 0.
During the same period, he remained active in T20 cricket, appearing in 30 recognised matches and scoring 696 runs at an average of 25.77 with a strike rate of 130.58, including five half-centuries.
“Litton performed well in two formats and struggled only in the ODI format in the recent past and we are hoping if he settles in the middle order during the series his experience will help our team,” Salahuddin said.
He also highlighted Litton’s earlier success in a similar role during the 2019 ODI World Cup.
“If you remember he batted in the middle order in the 2019 World Cup and played a brilliant innings of 90 odd runs against West Indies batting at six so he can manage batting at different positions and largely due to the fact he has the experience to bat at different positions,” he added.
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Pakistan Squad Arrives in Dhaka
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s 15-member squad arrived in Dhaka on Sunday ahead of the ODI series. The matches will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on March 11, March 13 and March 15.
The series will mark Litton’s return to Bangladesh’s ODI setup as the team tests a new middle-order combination.
