Bangladesh’s upcoming tour of India presents a unique challenge for the team as they prepare to face the SG ball, a significant departure from the Kookaburra ball they are accustomed to. Litton Das, a key figure in Bangladesh’s recent Test victory over Pakistan, has emphasized the need to adapt to the different characteristics of the SG ball.
“The ball will be a different one in India,” Das said. “It is a little harder to play against the SG ball. The Kookaburra ball is easier to play when it gets old. It is the opposite with the SG ball. It is harder to get away against the old ball when it’s the SG.”
To prepare for the challenge, Bangladesh’s white-ball players are reportedly training with Kookaburra balls, as the T20Is that follow the Tests in India will be played with that brand.
Despite their historic series win over Pakistan, Das urged the team to remain focused on the present. “We played good cricket against Pakistan but it is already in the past,” he said. “It is important for us to look forward. We will need your (media’s) help. It would be helpful if you don’t talk about the Pakistan series. As a player, it is already in the past for me.”
The upcoming series against India and Pakistan has generated significant anticipation among Bangladesh fans. However, Das refused to view it as a burden. “It is inspiring that people will know you if you do well,” he said. “There’s nothing better than that. I don’t think it is pressure. We are improving in Tests, so we have to become more consistent in the format. That’s the main challenge.”
Das’s role as a lower-middle-order batter suits his natural game, where he often finds himself batting with the tail and has no choice but to go for his shots. However, he has also shown his ability to adapt, batting for nearly six hours to rescue Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
“I have to take responsibility now,” he said. “It is the right time. I have been playing for ten years, so there has been some experience. I try to score off deliveries that I believe are there to hit. Scoring runs is more important these days. I think I bat in the same way that most batters approach the game.”
Das acknowledges the risks associated with his aggressive style of play, but he believes it is the key to his success. “If it gives me more chance to get out, it also gives me a lot of opportunities to score runs,” he said. “I usually get to bat with (Mehidy Hasan) Miraz. Sometimes I bat with Shakib bhai (Shakib Al Hasan) or Mushfiq bhai (Mushfiqur Rahim). If I don’t play my shots, the team score won’t go anywhere. I want to play like this. I try to play the way I bat in training.”
Bangladesh will depart for India on September 15 to play two Tests in Chennai and Kanpur, both part of the World Test Championship. The three T20Is that follow will be held in Gwalior, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
