Dhaka: Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed insisted that the Bangladesh team will leave no stone unturned to make their first Test tour to Australia a memorable one. He said the team is determined to give their best as a unit in the upcoming two-match Test series, despite knowing that the condition will pose a different challenge.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Taskin expressed his pride in playing Test cricket on Australian soil against Australia, acknowledging that the series will not be an easy task. "It is a very proud moment for all our cricketers to play Test cricket on Australian soil and against Australia. The series will definitely not be easy for us, but we are hopeful of giving our best,' Taskin told reporters in Darwin on Monday.
The lanky fast bowler also cherishes the opportunity to play his first Test match on Australian soil, marking it as a significant moment for the team. Taskin's experiences in Australia include playing in the 2012 Youth World Cup, the 2015 ODI World Cup, and the 2022 T20 World Cup, but the two-Test series against Australia will be his inaugural Test appearance in the country. 'It is truly an honour to be here to play a Test series against Australia. There is no doubt that Australia are one of the best teams in the world,' he added.
The two-Test series will commence in Darwin on August 13, with the second Test scheduled in Mackay from August 22. However, Bangladesh's preparations faced a setback when Cricket Australia XI defeated them by an innings margin in a warm-up match, where they were bowled out for just 54 in their second innings. Taskin remained unfazed by the defeat, stating, 'The feeling of losing was certainly not pleasant. But that can happen in cricket. We are still trying to quickly adapt to the conditions and wickets here. Even though the match was lost, it was good preparation.'
Historically, Bangladesh has played six Tests against Australia, securing a single victory in Mirpur in 2017, while losing the other five, including both Tests during their previous tour of Australia in 2003. Taskin's side can, however, draw confidence from their most recent encounter with Australia, where they won a three-match series 2-1 in Mirpur in June.
The pacer believes that this victory could provide additional confidence, though he emphasized the differences in conditions. 'We all played a great series together and won against Australia, which gives us extra confidence to play against them. However, there is a big difference between home and away conditions. Let's see what happens this time,' he said.