From four ducks to a Test ton: Litton makes his statement

Litton Das struck his seventh Test hundred on the fourth day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, delivering a timely response after a difficult phase in recent days. Despite Bangladesh’s historic success in their latest series in Australia, Litton endured a personal nightmare by failing to score in all three innings where he had the opportunity to bat.

The misery followed him into the Asian Games T20Is, where he registered another duck, leaving the right-hander under mounting pressure after four ducks in five international innings. Facing intense scrutiny from the media and harsh social media criticism, he needed a strong turnaround in Abu Dhabi to silence the noise.

He began by scoring a composed 53 in the first innings before producing a magnificent 102 in the second, pairing up with Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a crucial 149-run partnership for the seventh wicket. As the two batters frustrated the opposition, Litton moved towards a milestone that carried significance far beyond the scorecard.

Alongside his batting resurgence, Litton remained impressive behind the stumps, proving his immense value to the side. With this performance, he also became the fifth Bangladeshi batter to reach 9,000 runs in international cricket, adding another landmark to his career.

Reflecting on his journey through the slump, the moment he finally got off the mark in Abu Dhabi brought visible relief. Capitalising on that initial comfort, he struck 14 boundaries in his 117-ball innings, embracing the responsibility of a number-six batter to push the team further ahead.

While his career has sometimes sparked debate over converting fifties into hundreds, this innings was a timely reminder of his class. For Bangladesh, the timing could not be better as Litton prepares to lead the side in the upcoming tri-nation ODI series involving Zimbabwe.