Bangladesh’s victories in Test cricket against New Zealand and Australia over the past five years represent a monumental leap forward for the program, according to captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. He views the recent innings defeat in Mackay as a tough but valuable lesson that will ultimately help the side better comprehend challenging overseas conditions.Australia clinched the second Test by an innings and 51 runs, rebounding strongly after their nine-wicket defeat in the opening match. The series marked a historic occasion for Bangladesh in Darwin, playing their first Test in the country in 23 years—just five years after their memorable eight-wicket victory in Mount Maunganui in January 2022.
“I don’t think anyone will forget what we achieved in Darwin, but it is also true that we did not play our best cricket in this Test,” Shanto remarked. “Looking at how Australia performed in Mackay highlights exactly the caliber of team we defeated in Darwin. Their decision to bowl first at home—a move they rarely make—underscores how significantly we challenged them, as evidenced by their strong comeback.”
“To be honest, I did not feel overly excited after the Darwin victory, initially treating it as just another Test win. However, observing the events of the last two days in Mackay from the dugout or the slip cordon gave me a true perspective of what we accomplished. Winning in Darwin was a significant achievement we should be proud of. Now, with two victories of such magnitude under our belt—having defeated both New Zealand and Australia on their home turf—I hope we can replicate this success in South Africa, which would be a massive boost for our Test team.”
Shanto admitted that his side did suffer from an emotional hangover following the Darwin triumph, but they were satisfied with their preparation leading up to the second Test. Bangladesh trained for a couple of days under the new conditions, immediately noting that the practice pitches offered significantly more bounce than those in Darwin.
“Emotion is always a factor, but as I stated in the pre-match press conference, as professionals we must remain focused and clear-headed for the game ahead,” he explained. “I believe the squad was highly satisfied with their preparation and overall mindset; we simply failed to execute our skills on the day.”
“Our batting in the second innings could have been far better, and I think Australia also faced difficulties during their first innings. While we must acknowledge that it was a challenging wicket, we also played some poorly executed shots. I do not wish to single out any individual, but as a collective unit, our performance was subpar.”
“My dismissal, after getting set, isn’t acceptable, to be very honest. I should have hung around for longer”
Najmul Hossain Shanto
Historically, Bangladesh has struggled to manage the emotional highs and lows that come with major achievements. There are numerous instances where the team has underperformed in the immediate aftermath of a significant victory.
This pattern occurred following their landmark win in Mount Maunganui in 2022, when New Zealand crushed them by an innings in Christchurch. Similarly, during the current home season—where they defeated Pakistan, New Zealand, and Australia—the team struggled in Zimbabwe, losing both the solitary Test and the ODI series, despite salvaging the T20I series.
In this series, the contrast between the conditions in Darwin and Mackay was stark, despite Shanto emphasizing the challenges of playing on a pitch that the curator himself described as ‘similar to Brisbane’.”
Key players like Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, and Shanto struggled to replicate their winning form from Darwin, falling cheaply in Mackay. Bangladesh’s middle order collapsed under pressure as well, with Litton Das notably enduring a wretched series, registering three ducks without scoring a single run.
Shanto, however, took personal responsibility for his untimely dismissal in the second innings in Mackay, refusing to blame others for the team’s lapse in concentration.
“My dismissal, after getting set, isn’t acceptable, to be very honest,” he said. “I should have hung around for longer. I think we tried really hard on this tour, but we must realize that we haven’t played in these conditions against this caliber of bowling attack before. It is crucial that we find a way to leverage this experience in the future.”
“Litton has played some fantastic innings recently, so I am not overly concerned about these three zeroes. I still believe his batting at number six is highly effective for the team. In these conditions, anyone can fall to a good delivery, and we know his overall quality. I am confident he has a huge impact on our Test side and will bounce back strongly in the next series.”
Mohammad Isam is Cricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
