Guwahati, Aug. 6: Assam all-rounder Parag Das is confident that he will be able to successfully lead the senior team during its monthlong exposure tour of the southern states, beginning August 13.

Thanking the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) for reposing faith in his ability, Das said, “It is encouraging. The ACA has given me a great opportunity to prove my potential. I’ll try to deliver the best and the rest will depend on the performance of my teammates.”

Last year, the ACA blamed him for the defeats in two crucial Ranji Trophy matches. Das, who succeeded middle-order batsman Nishanta Bordoloi as skipper last season, was relieved of captaincy after the two losses.

Asked if Das would be retained as captain for the Ranji campaign, ACA secretary Bikash Baruah said he was very much in the running, provided the selectors were impressed during the exposure tour and in the nets thereafter from October 1.

Assam will open their Ranji campaign against Baroda in a home match here from November 7. The senior team will leave for Bangalore on Sunday to participate in the MRF Trophy. As part of the tour, it will take part in the Buchi Babu Trophy in Chennai and the Moin-ud-Dowla Trophy in Hyderabad.

The team has a strong batting line-up with Das, Subhrajit Saikia, Zakaria Zuffri, Subhadeep Ghosh, Shiv Shankar Roy, Parvez Aziz, Vasant Saravanan, R. Satish and R.K. Mritunjoy Gohain in its ranks. Das will also lead the bowling attack along with Dhiraj Goswami, Abu Naschim Ahmed, Pankaj Tamuly, Arlen Konwar, Mrigen Talukdar, R.K. Yadav, Satish and part-time spinner Aziz.

Das said the youngsters in the team — Abu Naschim, Shiv Sankar, Jason Lamare, Chandan Rout, Gyan Prakash and Utpal Medhi (Senior) — looked promising during the nets.

He said Subhadeep was a good part-time wicketkeeper. “He can step in if something happens to Zakaria.”