Najmul Hossain Shanto says regular exposure to fast and bouncy conditions can help Bangladesh build consistency

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team had gained valuable confidence from their two-Test series in Australia despite ending the tour with a heavy defeat.

Bangladesh stunned the world’s top-ranked Test side with a nine-wicket victory in Darwin last week, securing their first Test win on Australian soil and one of the biggest results in their history.

However, Australia responded strongly in the second Test in Mackay, winning by an innings and 51 runs on Sunday to level the series.

The tour was Bangladesh’s first Test trip to Australia in 23 years, and Shanto said regular exposure to Australian conditions would be important for the team’s development.

“It was a very proud moment as a team, and we showed our character and discipline in the first Test,” Shanto said.

“But we need to be consistent,” he added, saying more opportunities to play in similar conditions would help Bangladesh improve.

The Mackay Test proved particularly difficult for the visitors, with Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc producing a dangerous combination of pace, swing and seam movement.

Bangladesh were dismissed for just 64 in their first innings and struggled again in the second, being bowled out for 95.

Shanto said the conditions in Mackay were significantly different from those in Darwin, with additional bounce and movement making batting difficult.

“We didn’t play our best match,” he said. “But as a team, if we want to go forward, we need to address these conditions.”

The captain said the experience would help Bangladesh prepare for future challenges and improve their performance in unfamiliar conditions.