"We still have enough good players in our team" - Liton Das confident of Bangladesh's chances against India despite injury concerns
Bangladesh's stand-in captain Liton Das is bullish about the hosts' chances ahead of their ODI series against India. The right-handed batter also feels privileged to captain Bangladesh for the first time.
With regular skipper Tamim Iqbal out of the three-match ODI series with injury, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed Das as skipper. The hosts will also be without right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed for the opening game after his back injury re-surfaced.
Litton Kumer Das to lead Bangladesh in ODI series against India.
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Speaking to the reporters ahead of the series opener at Mirpur on Sunday, Das started by thanking the BCB for giving him the opportunity to lead the side and felt they have the side to challenge India.
As quoted by India Today, the 28-year-old said:
"First of all, I would like to thank the BCB for giving me such a huge opportunity. I am very excited. I will try to give my best. Obviously, India are a big team but we are also a good team at home. Definitely we will miss two of our important cricketers but we still have enough good players in our team."
The keeper-batter continued to say that Bangladesh will back themselves at home, and play for a win, especially in ODI cricket. As quoted by Cricbuzz, Das stated:
"We have been playing very competitive cricket against them in recent times. They don't think us as underdogs and that is a big thing. Our target will be to play for the win. It is possible to fight against them. We have a good balanced side in all three departments. This is a format in where we play really well at home."
Das should take confidence from his quick-fire innings when they faced India in the T20 World Cup 2022 fixture in Adelaide. He slammed 60 off 27 balls, but they fell agonizingly short of overhauling India's 184.
Bangladesh secured their first bilateral series win over India in 2015
Meanwhile, the Tigers overcame India when the latter visited the sub-continent nation in 2015. The two sides locked horns in three ODIs, with the hosts winning the first two.
Here’s the complete schedule for India’s tour of Bangladesh 🗓️
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Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman made his debut in the series, taking 11 wickets in the first two matches to earn the Player of the Series award. They will hope to repeat that heroics this time, with the first game starting in Mirpur.