Litton Das overlooked as Dhaka Capitals appoint Thisara Perera as captain

On the eve of the Bangladesh Premier League's (BPL) 11th edition, Dhaka Capitals made a bold decision, appointing Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera as their captain instead of the anticipated choice, Litton Das.

The announcement, made during a press conference on 29 December, caught many by surprise, as Litton, a key figure in the team and one of Bangladesh's top players, was widely tipped for the leadership role.

Thisara Perera, who last played international T20 cricket in March 2021, admitted the news came as a surprise even to him.

"I never thought I would be given the captaincy," he said. "They trusted me, and that's why I've been given this responsibility. Captaining in a franchise league like the BPL is a great feeling. I've played here many times, but this is my first time as captain. While it's a new experience with this franchise, I've led in other franchise tournaments before and am eager to do well."

The appointment raises questions about Perera's availability, as foreign players often do not stay for the entire BPL season.

However, Dhaka Capitals have assured that the Sri Lankan star will be available throughout the tournament.

Despite not being handed the captaincy, Litton Das remains an integral part of the squad.

Perera was full of praise for the Bangladeshi batter, even though Litton is currently going through a lean patch, managing scores of 0, 3, and 14 in his recent T20I series against the West Indies.

"Litton is the most important member of our team," Perera emphasised. "When he gets going, he's incredibly hard to stop. Over the last few years, he has been brilliant. Of course, we have to accept occasional failures, but I can confidently say Litton is our key player. He will anchor our batting, and we're aiming to get our overall approach with both bat and ball right."

Interestingly, Litton recently led Bangladesh to a historic T20I series whitewash against the West Indies, earning widespread acclaim for his leadership.

Dhaka Capitals' decision to bypass him for the captaincy has therefore surprised many observers.

When asked if there had been discussions with Litton about the leadership role, Perera clarified, "We haven't talked about captaincy. Leadership is a simple matter. It's not something we overthink. What matters is teamwork, not who is captain or senior or junior."

Perera is confident in his ability to manage a team comprising both local and foreign players. "I've been playing in the BPL for years and know most of the local players well. I understand how to get the best out of them," he explained.

"There are a few newer names in the squad, but they've been selected based on their performances. We also have some of the best local players, and I'm excited about the combination we have."