Cummins hands the ace to the visitors

A Test series in Australia after 23 years was already a major challenge. Yet Hasan Mahmud and company produced a bowling performance for the ages, bundling Australia out for just 189.

It was a fairytale day for Bangladesh cricket, made possible by a gift from Australian captain Pat Cummins. After winning the toss, Cummins chose to bat despite the conditions — a decision that backfired in a way he could never have imagined.

The drop-in pitch in Darwin carried a significant covering of grass. Between three and four millimetres had been left to assist the seamers. Overnight dew forced the groundstaff to keep the pitch covered, trapping moisture in the surface. Hasan Mahmud, who delivered a career-best performance against Australia, noted as much in the post-match press conference.“There was a bit of moisture in the wicket in the morning. It was soft, and there was some seam movement,” he said.

The covers had locked that moisture in, softening the surface and turning it into a bowling paradise.“Once we saw the wicket when the toss happened and they let us bowl first, that was a bit of an opportunity. I was thinking that bowling early on is very good for the bowlers, especially in this condition,” Hasan added.

Bangladesh’s bowlers exploited the conditions. They stuck to disciplined lines and lengths, targeted the Australian batters’ weaker areas, and executed their plans while receiving consistent assistance from the surface.

“We planned to bowl in a very disciplined manner and build partnerships with the ball, and that’s exactly what happened,” Hasan explained.“Ebadot and Taskin bowled really well from one end, and ultimately we were able to build the pressure.”

On any ordinary day, nine out of ten captains would have chosen to bowl first in such favourable conditions, especially with an attack featuring Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins himself. Why Cummins elected to bat remains a puzzle.

Even Steve Smith, Australia’s lone warrior with the bat (71), admitted he was not fully aware of the thinking behind the decision.

“I’m not sure. We won the toss and decided to (bat). I don’t know any other reasoning. There wasn’t much discussion prior that that was what we were doing if we won. I didn’t hear too much, to be honest,” Smith said.

He also pointed to a misjudgement of the surface. “Yesterday, the guys thought the wicket was rock hard.” That assessment was shared by both teams initially. Once the sun dried the initial moisture, it became more batting-friendly. Bangladesh closed the day on 96 for one, surviving with nine wickets still in hand.

In the first session, however, the pitch had felt tacky. It appears the Australians misread the signs — understandable, given that Darwin is an unfamiliar venue. The ground was staging its first Test in 22 years and its first men’s international match in 18 years.