Litton Kumar Das is set to begin his full-time captaincy tenure for Bangladesh in T20Is with a two-match series against the UAE, and the wicketkeeper-batter believes that being given a long-term role will benefit both himself and the team.
Speaking at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday, Litton said, “Naturally, this is a positive thing. When you get a long-term opportunity, you can think more broadly. Earlier, plans were made series by series, but now I’ll be thinking about the future in every aspect.”
Litton added that the extended run as skipper gives him a clearer goal. “Of course, we will still plan series by series, but at the same time, I’ll be able to focus on what more we can do as a team going forward. It’s now about how well I can organize the squad during this time, and I’m optimistic we can achieve something meaningful at the World Cup,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of flexibility within the team, especially in the batting lineup. “In T20s, I don’t want to see players sticking to just one position. Everyone should be ready to adapt for the team’s needs. For example, if I bat at number seven, the team won’t benefit. I want to give my best where I can be most useful,” Litton said.
However, Litton’s recent form with the bat has raised concerns. He has managed just 242 runs in 16 T20Is over the past year, with only one fifty. His poor run continued in the West Indies series last December, where he scored 0, 3, and 14 — though Bangladesh did win that series under his leadership.
Acknowledging his struggles, Litton said, “Even without the captaincy, I wasn’t performing well. Now that I have the captaincy, it could go the other way. Maybe I’ll do better. There’s no perfect role model in this. I last played international cricket in December and I wasn’t scoring. But I tried again in the BPL and DPL. A player can only give his best — sometimes the results come, sometimes they don’t.”
While head coach Mohammad Salahuddin warned that captaincy brings added pressure in Bangladesh, Litton said he hasn’t yet felt it. “Since Sir said it, maybe he’s seen something. I haven’t captained for this long before — just a few series. It didn’t feel that hard. But maybe over a longer period, it gets tougher. Still, you must carry both responsibility and criticism. You won’t always get praise.”
Litton’s leadership journey begins with plenty to prove — both with the bat and as a long-term captain — but the 30-year-old is keen to embrace the challenge and build a solid path to the 2026 T20 World Cup.