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Averaging 5 In ODIs Since 2023 World Cup; Litton Das Deserved Champions Trophy Snub

Bhargav Dixit

Andre Fletcher stumps Litton Das. [Source: @MominulCric/X]Andre Fletcher stumps Litton Das. [Source: @MominulCric/X]

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“Not out of form, just out of runs,” Australia batter Steven Smith had told the host broadcaster while assessing his own form on the second day of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 Test match in Brisbane last month. Despite being on his longest stretch of innings without a Test century, Smith saying those words spoke highly about his self-belief.

Bangladesh wicket-keeper batter Litton Das, on the other hand, can’t claim to not be “out of form” particularly because of how he has played lately. His dismissal during the second T20I against West Indies in Kingstown last month clearly highlighted a significant dent in confidence in his own abilities.

The wicket that sumps up his form

Batting on 3* (9), Das charged down the track to West Indies all-rounder Akeal Hosein on his 10th delivery to not only completely miss a ball turning away from him but also to not even care to return back to the crease to avoid a stumping dismissal. Been getting out for low scores left, right and centre previously, it was as if Das had accepted his sad reality.

It was akin former India batter and current head coach Gautam Gambhir’s run-out in the second innings of the fifth Test against England at The Oval a decade ago. Playing his first Test series in almost 20 months, Gambhir’s woeful comeback made him look far removed from his peak while flopping in the first three innings. Opting to take a risky run with his international career on the line, it didn’t speak highly of Gambhir’s self-belief.

Litton Das Deserved Champions Trophy Snub

That Das was handed the additional responsibility of leading Bangladesh in a full T20I series for the first time said a lot about the BCB’s (Bangladesh Cricket Board) faith in his potential. That Das has been left out from their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad almost a month later says a lot about the selection committee's lack of faith post his significantly dwindling form across the three formats.

Sticking to ODIs for the time being, Das averages a shameful 2.16 across seven innings since his last double-digit return in the format. Das, who batted between Nos. 1-4 in this period, could manage a paltry 13 runs against three different oppositions and in three different continents. For batters with eight innings since ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Das’ 35 runs are the second-lowest and an average of 5 is the joint-lowest alongside UAE pacer Junaid Siddique. For better context, Siddique mostly batted at No. 11 in this period.

In spite of being better than his ODI numbers, the 30-year-old player’s latest T20I outings have also been embarrassing, to say the least. Since ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Das’ 77 runs across six innings in the same batting positions have come at an average and strike rate of 12.83 and 124.19 respectively. Although he scored 73 (43) in a losing cause in his latest Bangladesh Premier League 2024/25 outing, scores of 0 (5), 2 (3) and 9 (13) preceding that knock perhaps all but convinced the national selectors to axe him.

Speaking of selectors, Bangladesh chief Gazi Ashraf Hossain had publicly expressed concerns around the right-handed batter’s form last month. Open to provide Das with an enhanced coaching assistance or a break, it seems that Ashraf considered the latter to be a better option at this moment. With Dhaka Capital slated to play six more BPL matches this season, Das can continue to build on his latest half-century to keep himself in contention whenever Bangladesh next play T20Is. With Najmul Hossain Shanto relinquishing T20I captaincy earlier this month, regaining form in the shortest format would do no harm to Das.