Sports

Bangladesh Uncertain About Litton Das’s Availability for West Indies Test

By Atif Azam

Bangladesh’s management remains unsure whether Litton Das will be fit to play in the opening Test against the West Indies, which is set to start at the Sher‑e‑Bangla National Cricket Stadium on October 28. Das, who is still recovering from a hip injury that ruled him out of the recent tri‑nation ODI series with Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, was seen batting comfortably in the nets on Sunday, suggesting progress in his recovery. However, a member of the selection committee said the player is in a state where his availability cannot be confirmed, describing his situation as “50‑50” and stating that they will wait until the end of the week to see if he can recover sufficiently for the series opener. Cricbuzz reports that the inflammation of a gluteal muscle tendon in his hip joint has subsided and the pain has reduced, but the BCB medical team notes that he still has limited mobility in certain joints, muscular weaknesses, and has not regained full strength in the affected areas. These concerns led the medical team to cancel his scheduled fitness test on October 24. Another team member said that while Litton can perform functional training, it does not mean he is 100 % fit, and the team may need to allow more time for recovery. The decision on whether to field him will involve discussions between the team management and senior BCB officials, as a recurrence of the injury could sideline him for an extended period. Bangladesh will play the second Test against the West Indies in Sylhet from November 5. After the home series, the team is scheduled to tour South Africa for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is, with the tour set to begin on November 15.