The result has placed Bangladesh within touching distance of a historic Test series victory in Australia. Najmul Hossain Shanto’s team will arrive in Mackay with confidence after dominating large parts of the opening Test, while Australia will be keen to demonstrate that their Darwin loss was a rare slip rather than a sign of a wider problem.
The conditions in Mackay are expected to provide a very different challenge. The venue is hosting its first Test and the curator has described the pitch as pace-friendly, with the surface expected to offer more bounce than the one encountered in Darwin. The cooler late-winter conditions and strong breeze could also influence the contest, while some rain is possible over the weekend.
Australia have made one change to their playing XI. Matthew Renshaw comes in for Jake Weatherald and will open alongside Travis Head. Nathan Lyon has retained his place after Australia considered leaving their premier spinner out. The bowling attack also includes Mitchell Starc, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, giving the hosts a formidable pace combination.
Bangladesh face a more complicated selection call following Shoriful Islam’s return. The left-arm seamer has impressed in practice and could be brought into the XI to strengthen the pace attack. That could come at the expense of Taijul Islam or one of Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed, depending on the balance Shanto prefers.
Tanzid Hasan is expected to return after recovering from a neck issue. The opener made a century in Darwin and will be central to Bangladesh’s hopes of producing another strong batting performance.
The second Test is scheduled to begin at 10am local time, 10am AEST and 5.30am IST. With Australia fighting to stay alive and Bangladesh chasing a series triumph, Mackay could witness another important chapter in the rivalry.
