Bangladesh assistant coach backs Litton Das to excel as T20I captain

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s assistant coach, Mohammad Salahuddin, has shown unwavering support for Litton Das as he begins his tenure as the T20I captain of the national cricket team, despite concerns over his recent form.

Das, who has been appointed as the captain until the next T20 World Cup, takes over from Najmul Hossain Shanto, who stepped down to manage his workload across different formats.

The decision to appoint the 30-year-old as captain has raised eyebrows, particularly due to his recent struggles with the bat. Over the past year, Das has scored just 242 runs in 16 T20Is, with only one half-century to his name.

His performance during the West Indies series last December was also below expectations, with scores of 0, 3, and 14, although he did lead the team to a series win.

Despite these challenges, Salahuddin defended Das's appointment during a press conference on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The assistant coach emphasised the importance of giving Das time and support as he takes on the captaincy, starting with a two-match T20I series against the UAE.

"You might dislike it or feel hot-headed about certain people in the captaincy role, but captaining Bangladesh from the outside might seem easy, but it’s far from it. It is a very difficult job, and we all must lend our support," Salahuddin said.

He further explained that Das has the strategic acumen and leadership qualities needed to succeed.

"Litton has the credentials to lead the side; he inspires the team to make strategic decisions, and he is good at it," Salahuddin added.

Acknowledging that leadership is a skill that takes time to develop, Salahuddin highlighted the need for patience and space for Das to grow into the role.

"We often see Litton differently — maybe because he doesn’t engage much with the media. Everyone has areas to improve, not just as a captain but also as a batter and as a human being," he noted.

It is important to mention that Bangladesh’s upcoming schedule includes two T20I series against UAE, five-match T20I series against Pakistan, limited over format series against Sri Lanka, and white-ball series against India.