Bangladesh seeks regular Australia Tests after mixed two-match series in 2026

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said in Mackay on August 23, 2026, after the second Test of their two-match series in Australia, that his side had drawn confidence from the trip and wanted to return to build consistency.

The visitors had beaten the world's top-ranked side by nine wickets in Darwin last week — their first win on Australian soil and a result the report described as their greatest of all time — but were comprehensively beaten in the second Test at the Great Barrier Reef Stadium in Mackay by an innings and 51 runs.

Australia's left-arm pace spearhead Mitchell Starc troubled the Bangladeshi batting across the match, finding ample seam and swing as the tourists were dismissed for 64 in their first innings and 95 in their second on what was described as a tricky surface.

Reflecting on the series, Najmul said: "I think it was a very proud moment as a team, and we showed our character and discipline in the first Test." He added: "But we need to be consistent, and I believe if we are able to get more chances, similar kinds of conditions year after year, it will help us. And that's what we want."

"They showed their character, and we didn't play our best best match," Najmul said of the side's display in Mackay. "This was different conditions (to Darwin). A little extra bounce and swing in the air. It was challenging for us."

Najmul also noted the rarity of the tour and the desire for more regular visits, saying: "It's a long time, 23 years, since we came here and we played two Test matches, it's not easy. So if we have that ability, that chance to play every single year, it will help us to improve our game."

He concluded by linking the experience in Australia to future development, stating: "But as a team if we want to go forward we need to address these conditions and I think this experience will help us moving forward."