Is Liton Kumer Das an automatic choice in the playing eleven of Dhaka Premier League (DPL) defending champions Abahani Limited?
It seems to be a million-dollar question floating in the cricket fraternity of the country. The right-hander took a break from the ongoing DPL and missed their game against Legends of Rupganj on Saturday.
Abahani officials insisted that he is expected to join the team following Eid and will be available for selection.
Abahani are currently at the top of the points table with nine successive wins.
However, their head coach Khaled Mahmud on Sunday indicated that his return does not guarantee him a place in the club’s playing eleven.
Liton, who is going through a low-phase professionally, returned to Abahani camp after being dropped from Bangladesh’s ODI squad during their third game of the three-match series against Sri Lanka recently.
Liton failed to capitalize on it, making just three runs in his only game that he played so far for the Sky Blue Brigade.
Unlike the past, the star-studded outfit could afford to give Liton a break in the middle of the tournament, which indicates that they are not losing their sleep over the availability of the wicket-keeper batsman, considering they have quite a few options in their hand. That includes in-form Jaker Ali and Anamul Haque among others.
“Our team is very strong and I don‘t remember when was the last time a Dhaka Premier league team was this strong,” coach Mahmud told the reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on this day.
“Liton has asked for a break. On his day, Liton is one of the best players. I always like Liton’s batting a lot. Watching his batting is something else. Maybe there is some mental barrier. He hasn’t scored runs. If I didn’t have that flexibility, maybe I wouldn’t have given Liton this break,” he said.
“The flexibility is there because of the kind of batting order we have, I think let him take a break and return. I hope he will be available from the Super League,” he said, adding that no one’s place is granted in his team.
“The performance will speak for itself. It was an easy walk-in (in the playing eleven) then (in the past) but it is not an easy walk-in anymore and I feel no one’s place is granted in my team,” Abahani coach further added.
“I was telling Shanto jokingly yesterday (Saturday) that my Abahani are stronger than your national team now. Therefore, it’s not easy to throw away the ones who are practicing and performing for Abahani. Liton is the best batsman of the country and the door is open for him. If the team needs him Liton definitely (will play) he has been playing for Abahani for many years, he has performed even though we have got very little service for the past two years. We couldn’t play him, he couldn’t play for us,” he said.
“I believe they are professional. I will pick my best possible team, at the end of the day I want to be champion. I told you, no one’s place is permanent in the Abahani side. I am very professional, Abahani paid lots of money. It is because they are paid more compared to other premier league teams, that they play in Abahani,” said the coach.
“I have a soft corner for the players. I adore them a lot. But when it comes to the team, Abahani comes first,” he said, adding that Liton needs to change his characteristics to come out of the rut.
“He (Liton) needs to be a bit more open considering he is introvert and likes to be that way but in cricket when you are going through a bad patch you need to have some kind of fun to make sure that your performance is not draining you mentally,” he concluded.
