1st Test: Bangladesh chase history versus full-strength Australia
What's the story
After a long wait of 23 years, Team Bangladesh is finally touring Australia for a Test series. The last time these two teams played a bilateral series was 18 years ago. The first match of the historic series will be played in Darwin on Thursday. This is also the first Test match to be hosted by Darwin since 2004. Here we present the match preview.
Match conditions
Pitch report for the drop-in Test
The pitch for this drop-in Test match has been prepared over nearly a year by Darwin's head curator Jake Pavlich.
He hopes it will be "nice and consistent with runs in it, and bowlers can work hard and get something out of it."
Despite only having two pitches on the square, players are preparing for tougher runs square of the wicket.
The match will start at 10am local time (6:00am IST).
Team dynamics
Australia's bowling attack sees the return of the 'big 4'
Australia's bowling attack will see the return of their "big four" for the first time in over a year.
Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon will all be back in action. However, Scott Boland will have to sit out.
The batting order also has some uncertainties, with Jake Weatherald facing a crucial two weeks to secure his spot at the top of the order.
Notably, the Aussies have confirmed their XI for this fixture.
Bangladesh
Dealing with bounce key for Bangladesh
Despite a disappointing practice match where they were bowled out for just 54 runs, Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto remains optimistic about his team's preparations and performance.
Shanto said that dealing with bounce is key, but his team has been preparing on bouncy pitches back home in the last few months.
The captain also hinted at fielding both frontline spinners - Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam - in the XI along with three fast bowlers.
H2H
Have Bangladesh ever beaten Australia in Tests? Stats
Bangladesh and Australia first clashed in Tests in 2003, with the hosts winning 2-0.
Australia then traveled to Bangladesh in the 2005/06 season, winning both Tests.
However, Bangladesh's breakthrough came in the 2017 series against Australia at home.
They beat Australia by 20 runs in the 1st Test in Mirpur. Australia then bounced back in Chattogram to level the two-match series.
Hence, the two teams are gearing up for their first Test meeting in nearly a decade.
XIs
A look at the XIs
Australia (Playing XI): Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
Bangladesh (Probable XI): Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Litton Das (wk), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Syed Khaled Ahmed.
Performers
Here are the key performers
As per Cricinfo, Steve Smith has racked up 5,301 runs from 62 home Tests at an incredible average of 59.56.
Shanto has been in good form this year with an average of 46.83 in three Test matches.
From the current squad, Mushfiqur Rahim has scored 158 runs at an average of 39.5 against Australia in Tests.
Meanwhile, Taijul Islam has six wickets from two Tests at 24.2.
Each of Australia's four specialist bowlers has over 290 Test wickets.
Poll
