PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN

ABDULLAH AL MEHDI from Chattogram

Bangladesh return to T20I cricket today after around a five-month gap, with skipper Litton Das keen to strike a balance between rediscovering rhythm and laying the groundwork for sterner tests ahead.

Still smarting from missing out on the T20 World Cup earlier this year, the Tigers begin their three-match series against New Zealand at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram. Yet, rather than burden his side with expectations, Litton has opted for a more relaxed approach.

“Let them play,” the captain said on the eve of the match -- a simple message that reflects both the mood in the camp and the nature of this return.

Litton, however, is not looking to start from scratch. Instead, he wants to build on the cohesion developed during campaign for the last T20 World Cup.

“We had great team bonding, and our preparation for the last T20 World Cup was very good. I will try to hold onto the team well and build from there,” he said.

Confidence is also buoyed by a 2-1 comeback win in the preceding ODI series against the Black Caps. But while Bangladesh may approach this contest with a degree of freedom, there is little room to ignore the issues that have lingered.

Recent T20 form paints a mixed picture. Last year, series wins over Afghanistan and Ireland showed promise, but the 3-0 whitewash against the West Indies exposed vulnerabilities -- particularly with the bat.

The bowling unit has largely held its own, but the batting remains a concern despite a relatively settled line-up over the past year and a half. Opener Tanzid Tamim has impressed, but Saif Hassan has struggled for consistency. Litton himself comes into the series on the back of runs in ODIs, yet questions persist in the middle order.

Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, and Shamim Hossain are still searching for stability in their roles. Hridoy, in particular, has struggled to maintain tempo, crossing a strike-rate of 100 in only three of his last 12 T20I innings. Shamim, meanwhile, has yet to make a significant impact in recent outings, especially in the finishing role.

Lower down, Mohammad Saifuddin offers depth with the bat, but contributions from others remain inconsistent. While Rishad Hossain has shown glimpses of power-hitting, greater reliability is needed, especially with high-profile series against Australia and India looming later this year.

Litton acknowledged the imbalance but stressed clarity of roles.

“As a batter, if we fulfil our roles, there’s no need to rely on the lower order,” he said.

He also pointed to the importance of building deeper batting resources. “Big teams have immense batting depth, often down to number nine. If we can build that depth, our top-order batters will be able to play much more freely.”

For now, though, the focus remains on easing back into the format without overcomplicating things.

“We are playing the T20 format again after a long time,” Litton said. “I don’t want to put any extra pressure on anyone.”

New faces like Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Ripon Mondol could get opportunities as part of that process, with the captain keen to test combinations.

With nine T20Is against top opposition lined up in quick succession later this year, Litton sees this phase as a stepping stone.

For Bangladesh, this is more than just a return -- it is a reset. A chance to play with freedom, address lingering flaws, and gradually shape a side capable of standing up to tougher challenges on the horizon.