Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto on Wednesday declared wicketkeeper Litton Das “100% fit” for the first cricket Test against Australia while suggesting the tourists could play two spinners.
Experienced wicketkeeper-batter Das had been sidelined since June with a left calf injury and was initially ruled out of the opening Test of the two-match series.
But he was a late addition to the squad and is set to line up in Darwin on Thursday in a big boost to a side that lost their only warm-up game by an innings and 38 runs.
“Litton gives us batting depth,” Shanto said.
“He is consistent. We are hopeful of our batting unit doing well in the Test match.”
The series marks Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia in 23 years, with their last visit in 2003.
They have their work cut out against a full-strength side ranked one in the world and buoyed by the return from injury of bowling heavyweights Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.
While Shanto confirmed the inclusion of Das, he did not confirm the remainder of the starting side, wanting a last look at the pitch before deciding.
But he suggested Bangladesh could field both their frontline spinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.
“The surface looks good, I think we [might stick with our] normal combination, like two spinners and three seamers,” Shanto said.
“But looking at the conditions, tomorrow we’ll have a chance to see it again, and then we’ll decide according to the conditions.”
Bangladesh are without injured fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, with Taskin Ahmed set to lead the attack.
He will be supported by at least two of Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed and Musfik Hasan.
“We’re going to really miss them, especially Rana. He’s a big threat nowadays in world cricket,” Taskin admitted.
“But still, myself and some of the other bowlers have a little bit of experience. So let’s see how we do.
“It’s a great opportunity for the bowlers playing in Australia.
“If Rana and Shoriful were here, it might be different, but still, we are hoping to do well.”
Meanwhile, Australia on Wednesday opted for Hazlewood ahead of fellow quick Scott Boland, while Lyon returned after a long-term injury.
An injured Hazlewood missed the entire home Ashes series against England in 2025-26, with warhorse Boland playing all five Tests in his place.
But despite the 37-year-old’s heroics, it was not enough to keep out a fit-again Hazlewood who will be reunited for the first time in more than a year with long-time pace partners Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
“They’re both pretty class, aren’t they?” skipper Cummins said of Hazlewood and Boland in naming Australia’s team.
“We were pretty certain we wanted ‘Lyono’ in the side, so [it came down to] working out what the make-up of the quicks were.
“It’s always a pretty tight call. It’s one of those where there’s not much you can say to Scotty other than obviously there’s a lot of cricket coming up.”
Lyon returns after hamstring surgery curtailed his part in Australia’s dominant 4-1 home Ashes win, a series where a back issue restricted Cummins to just one Test.
The clash at the Marrara Oval will be only the third Test ever in tropical Darwin and the first since Sri Lanka visited in July 2004.
The series moves to Harrup Park in Mackay next week, which will host its maiden Test. — AFP
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