Bangladesh received a timely boost amid their injury concerns as wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das was yesterday added to the squad for the opening Test of the two-match series in Australia, beginning on August 13, after recovering faster than expected from a calf injury.
Litton had been sidelined since sustaining the injury during the home ODI series against Australia on June 14 and was omitted from the initial squad announced on July 26. Although the injury was not considered serious, his recovery took longer than expected, ruling him out of the subsequent T20I series against Australia and the tour of Zimbabwe.
After treatment and medical assessments in Bangladesh and Singapore, Litton was initially expected to return for the second Test. However, his rehabilitation progressed well enough for him to be added to the squad for the series opener.
"The 31-year-old batsman has been sidelined since June due to the injury, but has responded well to his rehabilitation programme and will be in consideration for selection for the opening Test," the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said in Saturday’s press release.
BCB cricket operations in-charge Shahriar Nafees echoed that view but stressed Litton must still pass a fitness test before being considered for the first Test.
"When the Test squad was announced on July 26, based on the assessment at that time, he was not fit enough. However, from July 26 to today [August 1], his recovery has been very encouraging," Nafees told The Daily Star.
“The BCB medical department and the selectors are now confident that his rehabilitation is progressing well… He has already resumed training, batting and hitting.
"There is still time for him to undergo a fitness test before the first Test, and even more time before the second. His recovery has been very satisfactory, which is why the BCB felt it was worthwhile to send him with the squad," added the former Bangladesh captain.
Litton’s inclusion is a major relief for Bangladesh, who are already without pace spearhead Nahid Rana for the series and will miss fellow pacer Shoriful Islam in the opening Test due to injury.
Batting at lower-middle order, Litton has displayed outstanding red-ball form since 2025, scoring two centuries and three fifties in his last six Tests. Both centuries came in his last five innings, and Bangladesh will hope he can carry that form into their first tour Down Under since 2003.
The first contingent of the Bangladesh team departed for Darwin on Friday, while the second group, including Litton, is scheduled to leave Dhaka today.
Bangladesh will play a three-day warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at the DXC Arena from August 6 to 8.
The first Test will be held at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin from August 13 to 17, while the second will take place at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay from August 21 to 25, marking the venue’s first-ever Test. Both matches are part of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Bangladesh squad for the first Test: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amit Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vice-captain), Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Mushfik Hasan and Litton Das.
