He was Bangladesh’s batting star during their historic 2-0 away Test series win in Pakistan but Litton Das believes that facing the red ‘SG Test’ in India would present an entirely different and more difficult test for the team.
Litton, who scored 56 and 138 in the two Tests, along with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and young Shadman Islam will once again form the core of the Bangladesh batting line-up during the Test series starting September 19 in Chennai.
In Pakistan, Test matches are played with Kookaburra balls, which is also used at home by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, South Africa. Stitches of the Kookaburra balls aren’t as thick and pronounced as the Indian manufactured ‘SG Test’, which can aid reverse swing.
“The ball will be a different one in India,” Litton was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.
“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.”
The right-handed keeper-batter’s 138 after Bangladesh were reduced to 26 for 6 in the second Test is considered as one of the finest knocks under pressure but Litton doesn’t want to rest on past laurels.
“We played good cricket against Pakistan but it is already in the past,” Litton 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,” he said.
For Litton, Bangladesh’s improvement in traditional format has been gradual and inspiring.
“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.”
Having played 223 international games across three formats for the ‘Tigers’ in past nine years has given him enough experience to tackle various situations.
“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.”
Batting with lower-order is another expertise that he has acquired in recent years.
“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,” he said.
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