News Sports Cricket After leading Bangladesh to historic sweep over West Indies, Litton Das ready for long-term captaincy

After leading Bangladesh to historic sweep over West Indies, Litton Das ready for long-term captaincy

Litton Das led Bangladesh to their first-ever T20I series sweep over West Indies. Das was named the captain of the side after Najmul Hossain Shanto missed the tour due to an injury. Das has now stated that he is ready to lead the team for a longer term if required.

Mahedi Hasan and Litton Das. Image Source : GETTYMahedi Hasan and Litton Das.

After leading Bangladesh to their first-ever T20I series sweep over West Indies, stand-in skipper Litton Das is willing to accept the captaincy role on a long-term basis if offered by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. 

After Najmul Hossain Shanto had missed the tour due to an injury, Das was appointed the captain of the T20I team and he passed the test with flying colours. Bangladesh named Mahedi Hasan Miraz as their Test and ODI captain for the series and gave the shortest format duties to Das. 

Najmul had earlier informed the Bangladesh Board that he is not ready to lead the side after the South Africa series, however, he was convinced by the BCB president Faruque Ahmed to lead the team in the ODIs against Afghanistan. He had picked up an injury in that series and is out of the West Indies tour. 

"As far as captaincy is concerned, if the BCB asks me to lead then I am ready to do it because there is no reason [not to] and I am enjoying it," Litton told media after his team's 3-0 win over West Indies. 

"I take a lot of decisions on the field from the experience that I have got playing for so long and the skill that the bowlers developed it is easier to run the show on the field. As a captain, I never said that you give everything [on the field]. All I said was that they [West Indies] are a better side and on their day they can destroy at their home ground and so the information was like we will go and enjoy the cricket and whatever the result we will take that with a smiling face and we will try to fulfil our responsibility," he added.

The Southpaw credited the bowlers for setting the field and doing the work themselves. "Overall if I have to say our bowling attack was outstanding and the way they bowled in three formats, both the pacers and spinners. I was behind the wickets and I was feeling good as every batter was struggling," he said. "The thing is that if the bowlers bowl well, behind the wickets it gets easier for me and like I said the bowlers know what kind of field set-up they need so it's easy for me."

"Look, they are a better side and I would say that and on their home ground, they are a good side. But, when five bowlers bowl well and from top to bottom we have a balanced batting unit - I won't say we have a destructive batting unit but we have a balanced side - and if we can put some runs on the board I feel the bowlers are developing their skill and every match the bowlers took responsibility on their own. They are doing their own field set-up and learning a lot of things and I feel that it is a good sign," Das added.