Litton’s near miss dwarfs team advantage

Litton Das had to walk back to the pavilion at the Galle International Stadium on the second day of Bangladesh's first Test against Sri Lanka yesterday, falling just 10 runs short of what could have been his fifth Test century.

The missed opportunity, regardless of how minor it may seem, could prove to be far more significant when viewed through a broader lens -- considering the way Litton succumbed to a clear Lankan ploy, Bangladesh falling short of a much bigger total on a batting-friendly pitch, and most importantly, how the psychological aspect of getting to three-figure mark could have further boosted confidence of a player struggling with his form across the formats.

Bangladesh had found themselves in a commanding position, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton batting fluently, before a rain interruption triggered a collapse late in the day.

Batting at number six, Litton had the perfect platform to play a confidence-restoring innings and notch up a century. But by the end of the day, Bangladesh were suddenly out of their comfort zone.

His role was to press home the advantage alongside Mushfiqur, and the pair were doing just that until the rain-induced break seemingly broke their concentration.

Litton has been enduring a tough time across all formats. Back in 2021-22, when he hit a purple patch, it was through Test cricket that he rediscovered his mojo. The Galle conditions had already seen Mushfiqur and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto take full advantage -- the former scoring 163 and the latter 148 -- as both returned to form after prolonged lean spells. What would have been the icing on the cake for Bangladesh was if Litton had gone to complete a century.

Dropped on 14 early in his innings, Litton made Sri Lanka pay with a 149-run fifth-wicket stand with Mushfiqur. But just when Bangladesh should have been eyeing a total close to 600, Litton faltered.

Asitha Fernando had been probing persistently and eventually removed Mushfiqur, trapping him leg-before in the 141st over. Litton, then on 90 and the most experienced batter at the crease, was expected to carry on Bangladesh's advantage.

Lankan spinner Tharindu Rathnayake had been bowling a leg-stump line for an extended spell. Litton had either swept or fended off most of those deliveries, but the unorthodox line seemed to have been preying on his mind, probably finding ways to score off that channel. Just an over after Mushfiqur's dismissal, Litton opted to reverse-sweep in an attempt to dominate.

The ball brushed his glove and looped up gently as the wicketkeeper made a routine catch. In an instant, Bangladesh, who had two set batters at the crease, now had two new men starting from zero near the close of the day's play.

The result? From 458 for four, Bangladesh stumbled to 484 for nine.

With Galle offering ample scoring opportunities, Bangladesh arguably missed out on maximising their first-innings total. Now, the bowlers will need to step up significantly to keep the team in contention for a result.

For Litton, who had gone 10 innings without a fifty, this was more than just a missed century. Not only did he miss out on a personal milestone at an inopportune moment, but his dismissal also triggered a collapse that eroded Bangladesh's advantage.