AUS vs BAN: The 2 test match series between Australia and Bangladesh has started. The first match of the series is being played in Darwin from 13th August. On the very first day of this match, a strong team like Australia surrendered to Bangladesh. Australia won the toss and batted first and were restricted to just 198 runs. How bad Australia's batting was can be gauged from the fact that except Steve Smith, none of the team's batsmen could cross the 30-run mark. Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmood gave the best performance of his Test career and forced the Kangaroo team to kneel. So let us know why Australia's condition became so bad on the very first day and how the team got trapped in its own trap.

Why was Australia in bad condition on the very first day?

Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmood proved to be out of syllabus for Australia on the very first day. The Australian team surrendered before this 26 year old bowler. On the Darwin pitch, where the Australian batsmen were planning to scare Bangladesh with their bouncy balls, Hasan Mahmood took 6 wickets for just 55 runs in 17 overs and destroyed the Australian top and middle order. Hasan Mahmood has become only the third fast bowler in the history of Test cricket for Bangladesh, who has achieved the feat of taking 6 wickets in an innings. Apart from this, for Bangladesh, Ibadat Hussain and Taskin Ahmed played an important role in reducing Australia's entire innings to 198 runs by taking 2-2 wickets. This is only the second time in the history of Bangladesh cricket that their fast bowlers have taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings.

How the Australian team got trapped in its own trap

Australia had prepared the wicket of Marara Stadium in Darwin to suit fast and seam movement. He believed that the Bangladeshi batsmen would surrender themselves to this bounce and pace, as was seen in the warm-up match, where Bangladesh were bowled out for 54 runs. The Australian team, who came to bat first after winning the toss, completely underestimated the seam and swinging conditions. Bangladesh's fast bowlers used this green and humid pitch much better than the Kangaroo team. Australian batsmen kept falling into the trap of Bangladeshi bowlers on their own track and seaming pitch and the team was reduced to below 200.

Kangaroo team's middle order flops after a strong start

Australia, who came to bat first against Bangladesh, had scored 45 runs without any loss at the beginning of the match. While Travis Head (22) and Jake Weatherald (23) were present at the crease, no one could believe what happened to the Kangaroo team after that. Australia lost its top 4 wickets in just 29 runs and the score became 4/74. Marnus Labuschagne (1) and Cameron Green (13) went on after scoring runs. After this, after the dismissal of wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey (19), Australia's lower order fell apart like a pack of cards in front of Hasan Mahmood.

Steve Smith fought alone

Only Steve Smith fought in the entire Australian team. He faced the Bangladeshi pacers boldly. Smith played an innings of 71 runs in 109 balls. However, he also got a lease of life in the beginning on a personal score of 2 runs. Smith was saved by DRS, taking advantage of which he took the team to a respectable score of 198, otherwise Australia's condition was so bad that the team did not seem to reach even beyond 150.

Australia's chronic disease of flopping on the first day of the series

This is not the first time that the Australian team has scattered like this on the very first day of a Test series after a long break. According to cricket experts, the Australian team once again seemed stuck in its old pattern. Australia surrendered to Jasprit Bumrah on the first day of the Perth Test against India in November 2024. After this, in June 2025, South Africa's Rabada and Jansen bundled them out for 212 at Lord's. Being bundled out for 198 runs against Bangladesh today shows that the Australian team is taking time to adapt to the Test format after the break.

Bangladesh has scored 96 runs

Talking about this match, Bangladesh has scored 96 runs after losing 1 wicket by the end of the first day's play. Bangladesh lost the first wicket in the form of Shadman Islam. He was led by Mitchell Starc. Whereas Tanjid Hasan is unbeaten on 32 runs and Mominul Haq is unbeaten on 35 runs. Bangladesh team is only 102 runs behind Australia in the first innings. Now it remains to be seen whether Bangladesh team wins on the second day of the match or Australia makes a comeback.