Bangladesh have picked their squad for the opening Test against Australia, starting August 13 in Darwin. Najmul Hossain Shanto captains a side making its first Test trip to Australia since 2003, and the match carries full points in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
Soumya Sarkar walks back into the Test squad after nearly five years away from the format; his last appearance came in 2021, and he now carries 16 Test caps into a tough away assignment.
Squad Blends Recalls With Fresh Faces
Around Sarkar, the batting group carries experienced hands. Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque and Shadman Islam all hold their places, giving Shanto a middle order with real Test mileage. Tanzid Hasan, Amite Hasan and Jaker Ali Anik fill out the remaining batting slots, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz takes on the vice-captaincy and a dual role with bat and ball.
Injuries have thinned out the pace options. Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury make up the seam attack Bangladesh could field, and uncapped quick Musfik Hasan gets his first taste of national selection. Spin duties fall to Miraz and Taijul Islam, two bowlers who have carried Bangladesh’s attack through several series already.
WTC Table Sharpens the Stakes
Where each side sits on the World Test Championship table adds extra weight to this series. Australia lead the standings outright, holding a point percentage of 87.5 after already winning the inaugural title back in 2023. Bangladesh sit fourth, at 58.33 percent, and a solid result here would push them further up the table at a point in the cycle when every game matters.
Australia have already locked in a strong squad of their own. That sets up a clash between a settled home unit and a Bangladesh side hoping to find early momentum in this WTC cycle, against conditions that rarely go easy on visiting batters. Pace and bounce have troubled touring teams in Australia for decades, and Bangladesh’s attack will need to find answers fast if they want to compete.
Two Tests Set for Darwin and Mackay
The series runs across two matches only. Darwin hosts the first, from August 13 to 17. The action then shifts to Mackay for the second Test, played August 22 to 26. Two different venues, two different challenges — and Bangladesh will need depth across both to stay competitive through the tour.
Points are on the table, and the setting is unfamiliar. Shanto’s squad now has to turn its depth on paper into performance on the field, beginning with the series opener in Darwin next month.
Bangladesh’s squad
Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Vice-Captain), Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury and Musfik Hasan.
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