'You can think about a lot of things' - Litton Das backs long-term captaincy as key to Bangladesh's success

Litton Das backs long-term captaincy as key to Bangladesh’s success (Source: X)

Bangladesh's newly appointed T20I skipper was candid in expressing that getting backed as captain for as long as possible would be the best for the team and himself. He also shed light on the previous regime of series-based planning and how the wicketkeeper-batter would want to go one step further than that with him at the helm.

Litton, who earlier spoke on not focusing on a particular brand of cricket, emphasised on and anticipated his squad to be well-prepared for the T20 World Cup to be played next year.   

"Naturally, this (captaincy for a longer period) is a positive thing. Because when you get a long-term opportunity, you can think about a lot of things. If I talk about the difference, earlier plans were made series by series. Now that there's a long-term opportunity, I'll be thinking about the future in every aspect. I'll personally know that I have a goal that extends further. Of course, there will still be series-based planning, but alongside that, I'll also consider what more I can do moving forward," stated Litton, as quoted by Cricbuzz. 

"Now the question is, how well can I organize my team during this period? I'm also quite optimistic that there will be a long-term plan. With the players I have at my disposal, I believe we can deliver something good at the World Cup," he added.

He also urged his teammates to display faith in his capabilities as a leader in a bid to generate the best possible output for the side.

"What do I want right now? What do I prefer? At least in the T20 format, I don't want to see this thing - I want whoever the team asks to bat in a certain position to be ready for it. Of course, there will never be a day where I'm batting at number seven. If that happens, the Bangladesh team won't get anything from me. The team should get what I'm capable of giving, and I'll try my best to give that," Litton mentioned.

You have to carry both praise and criticism: Litton

While Litton's coach, Mohammad Salahuddin, believed captaining the nation was a high-pressure role, Litton asserted that he had not yet felt the burden of captaincy on his shoulders for the time being. However, he was frank in understanding the going wouldn't be smooth at all times.

"Since sir (Salahuddin) has said it, maybe he's found some things before making that statement. I've never done this for such a long stretch. I've done particular series, and it didn't feel that tough to me. But for someone doing it for a long time, maybe it does become difficult. At the same time, there are two things - you carry responsibility in your mind, and you must handle both. You won't always get praise. You have to carry both praise and criticism," he concluded.

Bangladesh's next assignment is against United Arab Emirates for a two-match T20I series before proceeding to Pakistan for a five-game 20-over series. Litton, who was supposed to play in the Pakistan Super League, was ruled out due to a thumb injury. The games against UAE are slated to be his first for the nation since December 2024.