Litton delivers after going back to basics

While all eyes were fixed on Mushfiqur Rahim's century in his 100th Test match, Litton Kumar Das returned to form with a sublime hundred against Ireland on the second day of the second Test at Mirpur.

Following his 138 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in August 2024, Litton's form in red-ball cricket became a major concern as he managed only 335 runs in the following eight Test matches at an average of 22.26.

Litton got injured during the Asia Cup and missed the white-ball series against Afghanistan, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he regrouped during his time away from competitive cricket.

Bangladesh Tigers head coach Sohel Islam told Cricbuzz that Litton's preparation following injury is completely different from others, focusing more on timing than anything else.

"When he starts practicing after an injury, he works on his basics and what we call primary basics, and unlike others, doesn't try to hurry things up," said Sohel.

"He comes to the indoor nets and drives against over-arm throws—things a batsman usually does in the primary stage," he added.

"He is a timer, and for him, his grip is very important. He needs to have that feel, not holding the grip too tightly or softly. When he gets that feel, he understands he's getting back into rhythm, which is necessary for him to shine in the middle."

The stylish right-hander took center stage with a commanding knock mixed with controlled aggression, featuring sweetly timed drives, cuts, and pull shots.

Litton eventually fell for a sparkling 128 off 192 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. He added 123 runs in a sixth-wicket stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ensuring Bangladesh ended the day in a commanding position.

Sohel added that Litton never looked out of form during his lean patch but rather struggled to convert starts, and is now benefiting from a change in mindset.

"I think he was not out of form during the last year; he just couldn't make it big. He probably tried to bat at the same tempo throughout, which doesn't work in longer-format cricket. In this innings, he worked on that, and it paid off," said Sohel.

"In white-ball cricket, acceleration rises constantly—more so in T20Is, while ODIs have a steadier tempo. But in Test cricket, you need to adjust your pace according to the situation, slowing down at times and accelerating at others. If you play at the same pace all the time, it's difficult to survive. That's likely why he couldn't convert those starts. In this game, his innings was balanced, and if he continues like this, he'll have more success in longer-format cricket."