Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood says the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh will bring a fresh challenge because both teams know little about what to expect.
The two match series starts in Darwin on August 13. Bangladesh are already preparing for it with a three day warm up match against a Cricket Australia XI.
Hazlewood believes the lack of recent meetings between the two sides makes the contest more interesting. He said Australia still has many questions before the opening Test.
“There’s a lot of unknowns going in. You’ve got the ground, that’s an unknown. The wicket in particular is an unknown, as is the opposition in these conditions. So there are a lot of unknowns, but I think it’s exciting.”
The Australian quick has played only one Test against Bangladesh. That came in Mirpur in 2017, where he failed to take a wicket. Many players in Australia’s current squad also have little experience against Bangladesh in the longest format.
Hazlewood said watching videos can help before a series, but Test cricket often changes once the match begins. He feels bowlers must read the conditions and adjust their plans during the game.
He also said he likes to keep things simple in Test cricket. According to him, steady execution is more important than trying too many different ideas. He added that the five day format gives bowlers enough time to adapt, unlike T20 cricket.
Former Australia fast bowler Kane Richardson expects the pitch in Darwin to be slower than most Australian grounds. He believes it could offer lower bounce and conditions that are closer to what Bangladesh usually play on.
The first Test of the series begins on August 13 in Darwin, with both teams looking to start strongly in unfamiliar conditions.
