Liton needs to devote more time to cricket: Mahmud

Bangladesh and Abahani star batter Liton Das's wavering focus on the cricket field has been in the limelight for a while and former national team director Khaled Mahmud Sujon believes that Liton needs to get back to the basics and devote more time to the game to regain his lost groove.

Liton has been looking a shadow of his old self with the bat for some time and even lost his place from the Bangladesh squad in the third ODI against Sri Lanka last month.

The wicketkeeper-batter, however, featured in both Tests against the same opponents and in a series where almost all Bangladesh batters failed to deliver, Liton's dismissals stuck out like a sore thumb.

Mahmud, who has been Liton's coach since the Under-13 level, had a few advices for the struggling right-hander.

"He [Liton] needs to get back to his basics. Now he is a senior and a bit more reserved, he needs to break free from that. He needs to mix more with others and give time to cricket," Mahmud told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

"He has a family now but this [cricket] is his bread and butter. He needs to devote more time to cricket," added the Abahani head coach.

Liton has played just one match for Abahani so far in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League (DPL) on March 17, after getting dropped from the ODI squad, where he made five against Shinepukur.

Most national team players joined their respective DPL sides after the end of the Sri Lanka Tests. Liton, however, had asked for a break from Abahani and skipped the game against Legends of Rupganj on April 6.

Mahmud said that he had no second thoughts about granting Liton the rest considering the strength of his squad which consists batters like Bangldesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mohammad Naim along with Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain and Jaker Ali Anik.

"Our team is very strong and I don't remember the last time a Dhaka Premier league team was this strong.

"I wouldn't have given him [Liton] the break if we didn't have that flexibility. The flexibility given by our batting order makes me feel that, okay, he should come back fresh from a break. He may not be playing the upcoming matches but we are hoping to get him from the Super League," Mahmud said.

The bigger question now would be whether Liton would make it into the lineup when he is available with Mahmud suggesting that no one's place in the side is guaranteed.

"Performance will speak for itself. Previously it was easy walking into the team but that isn't the case in Abahani now. I was talking to Shanto yesterday and jokingly told him that Abahani is stronger than the national team.

"It's not easy to drop those who are practicing daily and performing for the team. But still, Liton is the country's best batter and the door is open for him. We will see if the team requires his presence since he has been playing for Abahani for quite a few years and performing."