Mackay, August 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted his team failed to produce its best cricket in the second Test against Australia but said the series had provided valuable lessons about playing in demanding overseas conditions.
Bangladesh were thrashed by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay on Sunday as Australia levelled the two-Test series 1-1. The match ended inside two days after Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 and 95, with Mitchell Starc taking 10 wickets and Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon claiming three wickets each in the second innings.
Shanto acknowledged Australia’s experience and quality but conceded that Bangladesh had not matched their standards.
“Yeah, obviously I think we all know how good they are and, as I said in the press conference, they have been experienced for almost 50, more than 50 years. So yeah, they played, they showed their character, and as the Bangladesh Test team, we didn’t play our best match,” he said after the defeat.
The Mackay surface offered more bounce and movement than the conditions Bangladesh encountered in Darwin, where they had secured a historic nine-wicket victory in the series opener.
Shanto said adapting to such conditions would be essential for Bangladesh’s progress.
“Yeah, obviously I think this is a different condition, and there is a little bit more extra bounce and swing in the air. So it’s challenging for us. But as a team, if we want to go forward, we need to adjust to this condition, and I hope this experience will help going forward,” he said.
Despite the heavy defeat, Bangladesh’s bowling attack produced some notable performances. Shoriful Islam claimed 7/48, the best figures by an overseas bowler in Australia since Curtly Ambrose’s 7/25 in Perth in 1993.
Shanto also praised Shoriful, Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud for their efforts on a difficult batting surface.
“It’s quite difficult for all the batters. If you look at their batting also, they also struggled and the way Shoriful, Taskin and Hasan bowled, really happy to see them and it’s quite a difficult wicket to bat, to be very honest,” he said.
Reflecting on the tour, Shanto said Bangladesh needed more regular exposure to overseas Test conditions rather than lengthy gaps between visits.
“Not long, long term, like 23 years of coming here and playing two Test matches. It’s not easy. So if we have that chance to play every single year, it will help us to improve our game,” he said.
He also pointed to the first Test victory as evidence of Bangladesh’s potential and said greater consistency would be the next challenge.
“I believe if we are able to get more chances, similar kind of conditions here, it will help us, and that’s what we want,” Shanto said.
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