Bangladesh captain Litton Das expressed an unusual message on Tuesday, expressing frustration over the team-selection process ahead of the T20I series against Ireland.
The tension surfaced when Litton was asked about Shamim Hossain’s exclusion from the squad.
Shamim, who had scores of 0, 1 and 1 in his last three T20Is, was left out without prior discussion with the captain — something Litton said took him by surprise.
“Of course it would have been good if he was in the squad,” Litton said. “But this wasn’t my call. The selectors dropped him without informing me — without any notice.”
Litton went further, questioning the very process behind selection.
“All my life I believed captains knew who was coming in and who was going out,” he said. “But apparently that’s not the case anymore.”
His frustration sharpened when the conversation shifted to the new-look middle order, which now features five right-handed batters — Mahidul Islam replacing Shamim, alongside Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan.
“That’s a good point,” Litton told a reporter. “If that idea came from above instead of from you, it would help. At international level, you need right-hand and left-hand balance.”
Litton said he had been explicitly told that he would have no say in selection.
“I’ve been told by the board and selectors that I must work with whatever squad I am given. I won’t have a say in who I want or don’t want.”
The captain also expressed regret over being unable to support Shamim during a lean patch.
“Not everyone will perform every series. Shamim played extraordinary cricket for us before. As captain, I should have been able to support him. I’m really sorry I couldn’t.”
Asked if he had raised concerns with the board, Litton did not hold back.
“A distance has been created, yes. I’ve been told clearly: my job is to take the team I’m given and produce results.”
On whether he would continue as captain under such conditions, Litton kept his response brief: “We’ll see.”
Bangladesh play Ireland in the first T20I in Chattogram tomorrow.