Litton Das Returns as Bangladesh Name Squad for First WTC Test Against Australia

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-08-02

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially called up experienced wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das to the national squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Australia. This series is a crucial part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, and the team is wasting no time preparing for the challenge. Litton Das will fly to Darwin on Sunday to join his teammates as they gear up for the opening match on August 13. His return is a major boost for a squad that has been dealing with a string of injuries and a lot of inexperience at the top level. ### Litton Das Recovers from Injury to Boost Top Order Litton Das returns to the national team after several months off the field. He suffered a left calf muscle injury in June during a home One Day International (ODI) series against Australia. That injury forced him to miss the recent all-format tour of Zimbabwe, but the BCB has now confirmed that the batter is fit enough for consideration in the starting eleven for the first Test. Earlier this year, the 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman played a massive role in Bangladesh's success against Pakistan. He scored 126 runs and followed it up with 69 in the same match, showing exactly the kind of form and composure that will be needed against the world's number one-ranked Test team. ### Bangladesh Squad Facing Significant Injury Challenges Despite the good news about Litton Das, Bangladesh still faces several hurdles. The team is currently short of fast bowlers due to recent injuries. Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam are not available for this tour, and the team is also waiting for an update about the fitness of key bowlers like Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahim. Selectors have included Soumya Sarkar for more depth due to these injuries. The current squad has a lot of young players, with 10 players having played 10 or fewer Test matches. This mix of youth and experience will be led by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has a tough job ahead against a dominant Australian side. **Official Bangladesh Test Squad for Australia Series:** - Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain) - Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice Captain) - Litton Das - Soumya Sarkar - Shadman Islam - Tanzid Hasan - Mominul Haque - Mushfiqur Rahim - Amite Hasan - Jaker Ali - Taijul Islam - Taskin Ahmed - Hasan Mahmud - Khaled Ahmed - Ebadot Hossain - Musfik Hasan ### World Test Championship Standings and Series Significance Bangladesh sits in fourth position in the World Test Championship standings with a points percentage (PCT) of 58.33. Australia, meanwhile, sits at the top of the table. Australia heads into this series following a dominant 4-1 Ashes victory over England, so they'll be full of confidence. This tour is a huge milestone for Bangladesh cricket. It's their first Test tour of Australia since 2003, ending a 23-year wait for a red-ball series in the country. The two teams last met in a Test series back in 2017 when Australia visited Bangladesh. ### Adapting to Unfamiliar Australian Conditions | Date | Match | Venue | |------|-------|-------| | 6-8 August | 3-day Match vs Cricket Australia XI | DXC Arena, Darwin | | 13-17 August | First Test | Marrara Cricket Ground, Darwin | | 22-26 August | Second Test | Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay | The first Test will take place in the Darwin heat, followed by the second Test in Mackay. Darwin's TIO Stadium features seamer-friendly conditions that usually favor fast bowlers, which could be a challenge for a batting lineup more used to slow, turning pitches back home. Moreover, the bounce and pace of Australian tracks are very different from what these players face in South Asia. Selectors have expressed concern about how the batting lineup will handle the pace of bowlers like Pat Cummins. It's a steep learning curve, but that's exactly what makes Test cricket so exciting. For more cricket news and updates, keep following along as this historic series unfolds.