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Australia will begin a new chapter in their 2026-27 Test season when they take on Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series at Marrara Stadium in Darwin, starting Thursday, August 13. The match will be particularly significant for both sides, with Australia looking to strengthen their position at the top of the World Test Championship standings, while Bangladesh return to Australia for their first Test series in the country since 2003.
The five-day contest will also mark the return of Test cricket to Darwin after more than two decades. The first Test is scheduled from August 13 to 17, with play beginning at 10am local time.
Australia head into the series as overwhelming favourites, having completed a 4-1 Ashes victory before sitting at the top of the WTC table. The hosts have also assembled a formidable bowling attack, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon all available together for the first time in more than a year.
Cummins will return as captain after missing much of the Ashes campaign, while Hazlewood and Lyon are also back following injury-related absences. The pace attack is expected to feature Hazlewood ahead of Scott Boland, with Starc and Cummins completing a potentially devastating trio. Lyon’s return adds another dimension, particularly if the surface begins to offer assistance to spin as the match progresses.
At the top of the order, Jake Weatherald will continue alongside Travis Head. Weatherald, a Darwin-born batter, will have the opportunity to strengthen his position after an underwhelming Ashes campaign. Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Cameron Green form a formidable middle order, while Alex Carey will take the wicketkeeping duties.
For Bangladesh, the series represents an opportunity to make a statement away from home. None of the players in their original 15-member squad had previously played a Test in Australia, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Najmul Hossain Shanto’s team.
Bangladesh have nevertheless enjoyed encouraging results in recent Test cricket and will hope their experienced core can withstand Australia’s formidable attack. Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque and Mehidy Hasan Miraz will carry much of the responsibility with the bat.
Mehidy arrives with confidence after scoring a century in Bangladesh’s practice match against a Cricket Australia XI. However, their preparations also produced a major concern, as Bangladesh were bowled out for just 54 in their second innings and lost the match by an innings and 38 runs.
The visitors have also suffered from injuries to their pace department, with express quick Nahid Rana unavailable. Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed will therefore have a major role to play against Australia’s experienced batting unit.
The Darwin surface will be one of the biggest talking points. Marrara Stadium is hosting its first Test since 2004, and the curator has indicated that the aim is simply to produce a quality pitch rather than deliberately creating a result-oriented surface.
The tropical conditions could provide assistance to fast bowlers, particularly early in the innings. The bounce and pace should suit Australia’s quicks, while Bangladesh’s seamers will also hope to exploit any movement with the new ball. Batting could become easier once players settle, although surviving the opening spells will be crucial.
Australia have historically dominated Bangladesh in Test cricket. Bangladesh’s only Test victory against Australia came in 2017, when the hosts stunned the visitors in Dhaka. Australia have otherwise held a clear advantage in their meetings.
The current series also follows Australia’s successful white-ball tour of Bangladesh earlier this year, although the hosts did manage to defeat Australia in the opening ODI. That result should give Shanto’s side some confidence that Australia can be challenged.
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam.
Australia possess greater depth and experience in virtually every department, but Bangladesh’s best chance will be to make early inroads with the ball and force Australia’s middle order to operate under pressure.
With the WTC points at stake and Test cricket returning to Darwin after 22 years, the opening encounter promises to be a fascinating clash. Australia will start as clear favourites, but Bangladesh have an opportunity to create history if their experienced batters can withstand the hosts’ fearsome pace attack.
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