5 Reasons why you should be excited about the Ban v Aus Test series

The Tigers and the Kangaroos have always been a mismatch. One has dominated the game for a good amount of time while the other is yet to find a good ground. But when Steve Smith’s men will take on Bangladesh this coming Sunday, there will be a lot at stake. The numerical analysis fails to do justice to the series Test cricket needs at the moment. Mushfiqur Rahim’s side are at the 9th spot in the Test rankings while visitors are ranked 4.

The last time Australia traveled to the nation which follows the game religiously, a tailender with long hairs, who spent a longer time at the crease, hit the headlines. This time the Bangla boys won’t be mere spectators. They have learned to talk fire with fire. They don’t shy away from expressing themselves and more importantly, they believe that they are capable of taking 20 wickets. We tell you five good reasons on why you should not miss out on this particular series:

1. Australia’s worst nightmare in the day time

A brain fade against India saw Smith’s men slip in the most anticipated series of 2017. India toyed around the Aussies and got under their skin, which was more like serving them their own medicine. They might not tell you but ask them on a fine morning, around the greenery while taking a stroll; it hurt them bad, very bad indeed. So do they see Bangladesh as the punching bags? No. There is more to it.

If Australia ends the series 1-1, then they will slip from 4th to 5th rank. And if they manage to do the unthinkable, a clean sweep for the hosts will pull down Smith’s side as low as 6th place. On top of that, such a beating ahead of the Ashes is not the ideal scenario they desire. So, when they take the field, expect them to go all guns blazing. They will be hungry to roast the opposition and send a clear message to the world, that talks about underdog’s dream.

2. Bangladesh capable of fishing the big one 

“Previously the mindset was to draw against big teams – try to play five days, make a draw. But we never used to get the result. Then we started thinking, ‘Let’s try to win – let’s try to play and win the game’. It’s the mindset that changed, and that made us believe that we can win. It’s been a long journey.It’s been incredible. I don’t think many people thought – even in Bangladesh – that we can come this far. We knew that we have this ability, and we needed that belief, and we can only get this belief by winning matches.” Shakib al Hasan said.

One of the most experienced campaigners for Bangladesh, Shakib’s words doesn’t really look over the board. Against England last year, this very team shot down the ‘Three Lions’ in a session, leveling the series 1-1. Against India too, Mushfiqur’s men managed to put up a fight. They don’t want to win the hearts anymore. The hosts are determined to push the ICC calendar in their favor. They want big teams to visit them and challenge them at their own backyard. And this very mindset will spice up the contest.

3. The Asian Challenge

The visitors are practicing without wearing their front pads to counter the nagging wicket to wicket line bowled by the spinners. Apart from skipper Steve Smith and newbie Matt Renshaw, none of the Australian batsmen have done well in the sub-continent. David Warner averages 47.42 in Tests, he has a bagful of runs- 5454, he has also notched up 18 hundreds and 24 fifties but the digits take a pill in Asia and especially against spin. Out of 26 dismissals, the opener has been a victim of spin on 19 occasions. He averages 28.15 against spin and 30.38 in Asia overall.

Peter Handscomb and Usman Khawaja has similar stats against their names. The duo average 24 and 19 respectively against spinners. The numbers I add now will make you look forward to the Tests with much eagerness. Bangladesh spinners bowled 90% of the overs against England, during the home Test series last year. They bagged 38 wickets in the series, while the pacers scalped just one stick. And the average for the spinners sits at an astonishing figure of 19.92. Clearly, the workhorse will be the spinners again in this series and with lack of match practice ahead of the 1st Test, the visitors will try to forget this numbers and look up to their skipper, who averages 51.47 in Asia and 44.16 against the spinners here.

4. The Lyons and Agars will take the spotlight

Ashton Agar last played for Australia four years back, but if coach Darren Lehmann’s words are to be taken, then the spinner has improved a lot since then and offers an all-round option to the team, courtesy his batting and fielding. The Victoria boy has played 2 games each across all formats and has been selected over Steve O’Keefe and in-form Jon Holland, who scalped over 50 victims in Sheffield Sheild contest last summer. He is likely to partner Nathan Lyon, and a lot will depend on how the duo takes advantage of the slow wickets in Bangladesh.

29-year old Lyon will hold the cards for Australia and a lot will depend on how he manages to make a grip on the Bangladesh batsmen, who are well equipped when it comes to playing spin. Lyon has 247 wickets to his name from 67 Test matches and he will be Smith’s go-to-man. The Aussie spin spearhead has taken part in 15 Tests in Asia and has bagged 61 wickets at an average of 37.18 with four 5-fors.  Leg spinner Mitchell Swepson has been added to the squad to cover up the two spinners, adding an extra option in the spin friendly conditions. If Australia are to clean sweep the upcoming series and register their first series win in sub-continent since 2011, then the above-mentioned names will have to do their job right.

5. The ball is in Bangladesh’s court 

19-year old Mehedi Hasan Miraz is yet to face the Australians, but the visitors are well aware of young gun, who broke into the international lane with an impressive 6/80 on debut against England. He went on to be the chief architect in the 2nd Test, which helped the hosts level the series 1-1, and he will look to do the same against Smith’s men. Miraz can challenge Australia’s response to spin and if the hosts are to pick 20 wickets, then his contribution will be counted big.

Opener Tamim will be playing his 50th Test match and he is no stranger to match-winning knocks against big teams on big occasions. The southpaw has 3677 runs under his belt and if he gets settled in, then a big score is pretty much assured. Skipper Rahim and experienced all-rounder Shakib, who will also be playing his 50th Test, have waited for this opportunity for a long time, and they understand the significance of this series and how they can bring out the best individually as well as a team. The hosts will have to put up big runs on the board to avoid daunting tasks, and it is their experienced men, who will look to make the opportunity count. This series will not only be a much-anticipated one for Bangladesh fans but for all sports lovers, who wish to see the gap between the top sides and bottom placed teams narrow down.