India captain Rohit Sharma pulled off a sensational one-handed catch during the second Test against Bangladesh at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, sending the Monday crowd into a frenzy. After two days of rain, Rohit's athleticism brought much-needed excitement to the game, leaving both teammates and spectators in awe.

Litton Das dismissed in style

Standing at mid-off, Rohit Sharma showcased his impeccable timing as he leapt to intercept Litton Das's powerful drive off Mohammed Siraj’s bowling. The ball seemed destined for the boundary, but Rohit’s quick reflexes and a perfectly timed jump saw the ball stick into his right hand. Litton Das, who had scored 13 runs, couldn’t believe his bad luck as his beautifully timed shot met its premature end in Rohit’s palm.

WHAT. A. CATCH 👏👏

Captain @ImRo45 with a screamer of a catch as Litton Das is dismissed for 13.@mdsirajofficial picks up his first.

Live - https://t.co/JBVX2gyyPf… #INDvBAN@IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/60saRWTDtG

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 30, 2024

Bangladesh stumbles as Rohit celebrates

Rohit’s catch marked the fall of Bangladesh’s fifth wicket at 148, adding to their batting woes. Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah had dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim for 11 on the fourth morning, further solidifying India's advantage. Meanwhile, Mominul Haque managed to complete his half-century, providing some resistance for Bangladesh.

See Also: Duleep Trophy set to experience another format change

After Rohit’s incredible catch, the entire Indian team burst into smiles, with Rohit sprinting across the field, raising his hand and celebrating the moment in style. Having already secured a commanding 280-run victory in the first Test in Chennai, India leads the two-match series 1-0. Rohit’s moment of brilliance has brought them closer to sealing the series as they continue to dominate the match.

Bangladesh just recently won their historic Test series against the hosts Pakistan after winning both the away Tests of the two-match Test series. However, Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das is only focussing on the upcoming big Test series against the hosts India. 

Bangladesh are ready to tour India for the two-match Test series before the three-match T20I series in the same tour. The Test series will be a part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. 

Bangladesh just won the two-match Test series against the hosts Pakistan by 2-0. In that tour, Bangladesh recorded their first Test win against Pakistan before completing the series whitewash. 

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That is already in the past: Litton Das on their recent Test series successes in Pakistan

However, Litton Das isn’t interested in talking much about their Test successes in Pakistan. Rather, the 29-year-old is focussing on another crucial forthcoming Test series against the hosts India. 

On Tuesday (September 10), Das told the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, "We have played very well against Pakistan. That is already in the past. Obviously, very important (to leave the Pakistan series behind) and you (media) also need to help a bit. It would be better if you don't talk too much about the Pakistan series. There is a big challenging series ahead (against India). For me as a player, that is in the past (Pakistan Series). But we definitely gained confidence from that."

Das has admitted that India in India is always too difficult for the other visiting teams. 

The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter added, "When we play India at their home, they are always the better side. I wouldn't say it will be extremely challenging or very easy. They are a very good team in their own conditions. If you look at the rankings, they are so high up. So I think it will be a challenging series for us.

The SG ball is somewhat difficult: Litton Das

Meanwhile, Das also pointed out their big issue in India. He talked about their lack of usage and practice with the SG ball. 

Das said, "India is a big team and the ball will also change. We rarely play with that ball. It will be challenging. The players are working very hard.

Das continued, "As for preparation, we are facing the main bowlers as much as we can. The SG ball is somewhat difficult. It's tough to play with the Kookaburra when the ball is new, but it's easier to play once the ball is old. However, with the SG ball, playing with the new ball is somewhat easier, but playing with the old ball is tougher. We are practicing, let's see what happens."

Das feels that they need to improve the first session of Test cricket to achieve more successes in this format. 

Das claimed, "We need to focus on this. In Test cricket, you have to win sessions. Every session is important. Personally I feel we couldn't play our 100% in the first sessions. There is room for a big improvement here.”

The right-handed batter Litton Das is currently in great form with the bat. In both the Rawalpindi Test matches against the hosts Pakistan, Das performed strongly when the visitors were struggling. After scoring 56 runs in the first Test, Das scored an incredible 138-run in the second Test. 

Litton Das executed an exceptional run out to dismiss Dasun Shanaka during the third and final T20I clash between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Saturday, March 9th, at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

During the last over of the Sri Lankan innings, Shanaka, aiming to capitalize on a shot down the ground off Mustafizur Rahman, sprinted for runs. Despite his efforts, Rishad Hossain’s precise throw to the striker’s end left Shanaka struggling. Despite attempting a desperate dive, Shanaka fell short of the crease. Meanwhile, Litton Das, positioned away from the stumps, swiftly collected Rishad’s throw and instinctively dislodged the bails without even glancing at the wickets, reminiscent of MS Dhoni’s trademark run outs.

Litton Das’s Fielding Brilliance Overshadowed by Batting Struggles

Following Litton’s crucial dismissal of Shanaka, Bangladesh contained Sri Lanka to 174 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs after opting to bowl first on a favorable batting pitch. However, despite Litton’s effort, Bangladesh fell short by 28 runs, conceding the series 1-2.

Despite his consistent performances across formats, Litton Das struggled with the bat in the series against Sri Lanka. Across three matches, he managed just 43 runs at an average of 14.33, with a highest score of 36.

In the third T20I, Litton began his innings with a boundary but was soon dismissed by Dhananjaya de Silva. Attempting to play a shot behind square, Litton could only manage a top edge, which was easily taken by Shanaka at square leg, ending his innings prematurely.

In the forthcoming two-match series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence later this month, top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto is set to take the helm as the leader of the Bangladesh cricket team.

This confirmation was conveyed by Jalal Younus, the chairman of the cricket operation department at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), during a media briefing held on Saturday, November 18, 2023.

Shanto’s leadership role is not entirely new, as he previously captained the team in two matches during the ICC World Cup 2023. This responsibility was shouldered when the regular captain, Shakib Al Hasan, faced injury concerns and was unavailable for play. Shakib, who deemed the World Cup as one of the worst for Bangladesh, will also be absent from the upcoming Test series as he continues his recovery from a finger injury.

See Also:Australia’s Playing XI against India in the ICC World Cup 2023 Final

Adding to the team’s adjustments, opener Litton Das has been granted a one-month leave. The cricketer sought time off due to the recent joyous occasion of becoming a father to a baby girl. Confirming this development, Jalal emphasized the board’s understanding of Litton’s need for leave during this special time.

Furthermore, the coaching staff is undergoing changes, with the resignation of Allan Donald from his position as the pace bowling coach of Bangladesh. In light of his departure, coaches from the high-performance unit may step in to fulfill his role until a suitable replacement is appointed.

The BCB has announced its intention to promptly select a new pace-bowling coach to ensure the team’s continued development and success in the upcoming series and beyond.

Bangladesh’s Litton Das has temporarily left the ODI World Cup 2023 in India and returned to Dhaka due to undisclosed personal reasons. The exact nature of his return remains unknown at this time, but it is confirmed that he is likely to be available for their upcoming match against Sri Lanka, scheduled for November 6 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Reports suggest that Litton Das and his wife are expecting their first child, which may have necessitated his mid-tournament departure. Despite his departure, Litton has had a commendable run in the tournament, accumulating 235 runs, including a couple of half-centuries. He is expected to rejoin the team in the host nation on November 3, three days ahead of the match in New Delhi.

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Rabeed Imam, the media and communications manager for the Bangladesh Cricket Board, was quoted as saying, “Due to his family emergency, Litton took a leave and will join the team ahead of the team’s training session scheduled on November 3 in Delhi.”

Litton Das’s Personal Leave and Bangladesh’s Tournament Prospects

Despite several strong individual performances from the team, led by Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh has not been able to secure a spot in the tournament’s knockout stages. They have been eliminated after suffering six consecutive losses in the seven games they have played so far.

Currently, Bangladesh occupies the seventh position on the points table and has no chance of reaching the semi-finals. Their next two matches are essentially “dead rubber” games. However, the matches against Sri Lanka and Australia are still of importance, as a victory could provide a morale boost for the team.

Following the Retirment of Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh were left searching for an opening partner for Litton Das. Meanwhile, Litton Das continued to reel in the runs as he took bowlers on from the onset. In the second T20 as well, Litton Das raced away to 50 in the first six overs. From the other end Rony Talukdar, who recently made his national team comeback after debuting in 2015 was slowly setting himself in. With Litton Das taking the role of the aggressor Rony was able to patiently play himself in.

Following the powerplay though, with a base set, Rony decided to take the bowlers on as well. In no time, Bangladesh was attacking from both ends and their openers quickly pushed on to get past the hundred run mark. In the last year Bangladesh went through nearly 16 opening pairs, with Das often a constant, while he too was rotated on a few occasions. Mehidy Hasan too was tried as an opener but his was a temporary experiment.

Soumya Sarkar was another player who started well and did a good job in the World Cup too. The option though failed to materialize as Soumya Sarkar lost form shortly after and was dropped. Now though, Rony and Litton are well settled and have complimented each other well.

Within their partnership there has been enough to show as factors for success. For starters, their running between the wickets and dot ball percentage has been good. In their partnership against Ireland they rotated strike pretty well and in both T20s their dot ball count was very low. Within the powerplay too, both batters are using the field restrictions nicely. Both have been quick to start with and are ready to take the bowlers on when they get the chance. Together, the pair has proven that they are capable of moving quick and both have enjoyed each others company at the top.

Another important factor has been the maturity shown by both batters. In their brief time together they have shown the ability to take the bowlers on together while also holding back to let the other batter have his fun. Both are also not willing to slow down after a good start which has been a huge issue for Litton Das in the past. Instead of giving his team a crisp start, Litton Das is now looking to stay in their and push on for a little longer, converting his start to a substantial score.

The pair came to light thanks to a good season from Rony Talukdar in the BPL. Both are enjoying each other’s company at the top and Talukdar in particular is thriving in his second chance as he helps Bangladesh unlock what could be a deadly combination at the top.