Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das is in serious doubt for the opening Test against West Indies, scheduled to begin at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on October 28. The uncertainty stems from the hip injury that ruled him out of the recently concluded tri-nation ODI series involving Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.
Litton was seen batting in the nets at the BCB Academy on Sunday, October 25 and played some big shots, indicating meaningful progress in his recovery. However, members of the Bangladesh team management remained cautious about committing to his availability for the series opener. A member of the selection committee offered a measured assessment.
"He is in a state where we cannot say he is available or unavailable for the opening Test against West Indies. To be honest he is 50-50. But we will wait till the end and hope he can recover sufficiently to play the series opener as it's very important for us," the selector told Cricbuzz.
What is the nature of Litton Das's hip injury?
The inflammation of the gluteal muscle tendon in Litton's hip joint, which ruled him out of the tri-nation series, has subsided, and the pain has reduced. Despite that progress, his body remains stiff due to limited mobility in certain joints, a condition largely attributed to chronic workload accumulated over an extended period. He also carries muscular weaknesses and has not yet regained full strength in the affected areas.
These concerns prompted the BCB medical team to skip his scheduled fitness test on October 24, as officials felt he was not yet ready for a formal assessment. A member of the team management explained the situation in measured terms.
"Litton is able to do his functional training now, but functional training doesn't mean he is 100% fit. 100% is not really needed, basically, if we can at least cover his minimum requirements, that's why we might be taking some time," the official said to the aforementioned source.
What are the implications for Bangladesh's upcoming fixtures?
As reported by Cricbuzz, Litton is understood to be keen to take the field, but the team management must weigh that desire against the risk of a recurrence that could sideline him for an extended period. Any decision on his availability will involve discussions between the team management and senior BCB officials, with the timeline particularly tight given the volume of cricket ahead.
Should Litton miss the first Test at Sher-e-Bangla, Bangladesh will have a second opportunity to field him when the series moves to Sylhet for the November 5 Test against West Indies. Following the home series, Bangladesh are scheduled to tour South Africa for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is, with that tour set to begin November 15. A recurrence of the hip injury during or immediately before the opening Test could therefore affect his availability across all three formats of the South Africa assignment as well.
