“A clear message was given but not through the selectors” - Litton Das breaks silence after being dropped from 2025 Champions Trophy squad
Bangladesh batter Litton Das has opened up on not being considered for selection in the Champions Trophy 2025 squad. The right-hander revealed that the selectors did not give clarity on why he was dropped and rued the same.
Das, along with veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, were the notable omissions from the national team's squad for the Champions Trophy. The 30-year-old had a forgettable 2024 in ODIs, managing only six runs in five matches at 1.20.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Das stated that he knew the reason for his axing but preferred it to come from the selectors. As quoted by Cricbuzz, he stated:
"A clear message was given (on why I was dropped) but that was not through the selectors. Why I was left out, you can get that in the media. If you see why I was dropped, it was because I was not performing and you (media) all did the news on it. It is an open secret and there is nothing to hide."
The top-order batter admitted to being upset and stated:
"As far as Champions Trophy is concerned, I don't have it in my hands as the call has been made by the selectors. They make the decisions on who will play and who won't. My job is to perform and I could not do it till now. I was upset for that and was thinking on how to deliver in a match."
Das' form has been encouraging in the ongoing edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In six innings, he has amassed 240 runs at 48 alongside a ton.
"I carry the same mindset before and after the match" - Litton Das
The 30-year-old reflected on his 125* in the BPL and said that knock doesn't guarantee him success moving forward as he will have to start from scratch again. He added:
"I carry the same mindset before and after the match. I always say what happened today is in the past and I might have played a good innings today but will have to start from scratch tomorrow again. At the back of the mind, I know that I have to construct my innings from the beginning. I will work hard and let's see what happens."
Bangladesh's Champions Trophy begins against India on February 20 in Dubai.