Litton Das - Bangladesh - WK-Batsman

Born in Dinanjpur, Liton Das is a Bangladeshi opening batsman and wicket-keeper, who was a part of the 2012 and 2014 Under-19 World Cup team and shone in both the editions with the bat and had been touted as the next big thing in Bangladesh cricket.

He made his first-class debut in October 2011 for Rangpur Division against Dhaka Division. He didn't have a great first season, but fought back strongly in the following season registering a ton and a half-century. His career was boosted after his performances in the 2014 U-19 World Cup held in Abu Dhabi, where he scored 239 runs in just four innings.

Post the heroics in the Under-19 tournament, Liton developed into a better player and that was evident in his domestic outings. He ended up as the second highest run-getter in the Dhaka Premier League and then amplified the performances in the longer format. From second best in List A, Liton went onto top the run-charts in the National Cricket League playing for Rangpur Division. He struck five centuries and aggregated more than 1000 runs finishing the season with a mind-boggling average of 85.33.

Das made his Test debut against India in June 2015. He played some eye-pleasing strokes before he fell for 44 off 45 balls. He bettered his performance against the then ranked one team, South Africa, and registered his maiden Test fifty. He hasn't showcased his talents in the shorter formats and that has resulted in an in-and-out selection in the national team. He faces a stiff competition with Nurul Hasan to don the gloves whenever Mushfiqur Rahim misses an international game.

Das was recalled into the Test side in March 2017 against away tour of Sri Lanka and he did just enough to keep his place in the side for the next couple of tours which included an away series with South Africa. He is fine talent and has some serious numbers in the domestic circuit, particularly in the longer format. A batsman who likes to keep things moving, Das is a shotmaker who can put the pressure back on the opposition in a jiffy. His keeping skills are also quite good and with Rahim abandoning the gloves, a lot will be expected of young Das to make the keeper batsman slot his own in Tests. He has strictly decent numbers in red-ball cricket for Bangladesh while his ODI stats are disappointing thus far. However, it's still early days in his career and with the kind of talent he has, it shouldn't be long before he turns things around.

What to expect in the 2019 WC?

A reserve wicket-keeper or a frontline batter, Liton Das has carved a niche for himself as both after his destructive and valiant ton against India in the Asia Cup finale. A sweet timer of the cricket ball, Liton deals with pace and spin with equal elan. Liton's place in the side might come at the expense of an injury or may be a different tactic, but he would carry good form into the tournament having scored well in the tournament in Ireland just before the World Cup.

Liton Das might not get to keep during the tournament but he is neat and pretty quick behind the sticks. And breaking into a line up possessing the likes of Tamim, Rahim, Shakib and Mahmudullah won't be easy but Liton would want to grab at every chance thrown at him during his maiden WC.

By Abhinand Raghavendran and Hariprasad Sadanandan