Bangladesh prepares for Australia Test series
Bangladesh is set to participate in an ICC World Test Championship series against Australia, with the first Test scheduled to begin on August 13 in Darwin. Pacer Taskin Ahmed has expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming matches, noting his long-standing admiration for Australian fast bowlers. He mentioned watching legendary players from childhood and is now excited by the opportunity to play against them. Taskin considers Australia a favourite place to bowl and hopes to interact with bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Scott Boland.
The Marrara Stadium in Darwin will host the first Test from August 13-17, followed by the second Test at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay from August 22-26. This series marks a significant event for both teams in the current World Test Championship cycle.
Despite not having played a Test match in Australia, Taskin Ahmed has previously featured in nine One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in the country, securing 14 wickets. This includes six wickets during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2015, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Recent form and squad updates
Bangladesh enters the Test series with boosted morale, having recently secured a 2-1 ODI series win against Australia at home. Taskin Ahmed was the second-highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh in that series. He noted that the conditions in Mirpur for the ODI series were sporting, contributing to their success and confidence. However, he also acknowledged the significant difference between playing at home and away.
In the current World Test Championship cycle, Bangladesh is positioned fourth in the standings with a 58.33 PCT after four outings. Australia, on the other hand, holds the pole position with an 87.50 PCT, aiming to secure a spot in next year’s final at The Oval.
The Australia squad for the series includes Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, and Beau Webster. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon are returning to the Test arena after playing a limited number of Ashes matches.
The Bangladesh squad for the first Test features Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vice-captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, and Musfik Hasan.
Squad challenges and key players
Bangladesh has faced some injury setbacks ahead of the series. Fast bowler Nahid Rana is out with a side injury, and left-arm quick Shoriful Islam has been ruled out of the first Test due to a hamstring strain, though there is a possibility he could be fit for the second Test. To address an experience gap at the top of the batting order, Soumya Sarkar, who last played Test cricket in 2021, has been recalled to the squad.
Litton Das was a late addition, bringing experience to the middle order. He is Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in Tests over the past five years, with six hundreds and an average of 41.70. Litton Das is also the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper, as Mushfiqur Rahim no longer takes the gloves in long-form cricket.
For Australia, Josh Hazlewood is a player to watch. He has not played Test cricket since July of last year due to hamstring and Achilles injuries. He is currently five wickets away from reaching 300 Test wickets. For Bangladesh, all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz is expected to play a crucial role. He recently scored a rapid century against the CA XI in a warm-up match and has taken 55 Test wickets in the past two years, averaging 31.7 with the bat. Mehidy Hasan Miraz achieved a rare feat in April 2025 by scoring a century and taking a five-wicket haul in the same match against Zimbabwe.
The first Test between Australia and Bangladesh will commence on August 13 at Marrara Stadium in Darwin.
Source: icc-cricket.com
