Bangladesh's bowling has been their most impressive department in the last five years. It was time that their batting stepped up on the big occasion. And step up they did in the historic win in Darwin, which will be remembered as much for the contributions by Bangladesh's batters as their bowlers. Bangladesh were playing their first Test in Australia in 23 years, and in it, thoroughly outplayed the hosts for a nine-wicket win.
Bangladesh's 426 in the first Test, batting out 138 overs, was their third-longest innings outside the subcontinent. It underlined their domination after the Bangladesh bowling attack had dismissed Australia for 198 on the first day. The batters secured a 228-run lead to set Australia back further; the hosts couldn't cross 300 in their second innings either, and the target of 57 they set became a mere formality.
Australia have the best pace attack in the world, even if an ageing one, with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Batting against them, the Bangladesh line-up continuously took good decisions, led by a century from opener Tanzid Hasan, and fifties from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto as well as Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Looking at them bat, you wouldn't think their previous two red-ball matches had been such forgettable outings. In Harare in late July, Bangladesh lost by an innings against Zimbabwe. And in the practice match ahead of the Darwin Test, they were bowled out for 54 by a Cricket Australia XI.
Bangladesh's chief selector Habibul Bashar, who is traveling with the team in Australia, strongly believes that the batting collapse a week before the first Test ended up motivating the team.
"It will sound strange but getting bowled out for 54 actually helped us," Bashar told Cricinfo. "I am saying this because we didn't bat well against Zimbabwe. I could see everyone's body language changed after they were bowled out for 54. After the coach instructed the team to put in extra effort at training, everyone really bought into that. They worked very, very hard in the following days.
"I have noticed that our biggest change was when we could remove the mental block [of getting bowled out for 54]. We always had the skill so there was not much change there. But this thoughtfulness about [batting], this is where I noticed the change. You could see the reflection of that in the way Tanzid batted in the first innings.
"I felt that after that practice match, everyone wanted to prove something to themselves. The whole team's attitude and body language completely changed. We were talking about going to Australia to do something that becomes a career highlight. I think, deep inside, everyone wanted to do something special. I think it was their mental strength that made the difference."
On the first evening in Darwin, Bangladesh passed the big test of tackling the new ball against Australia. Only Shadman Islam got out, while Mominul Haque and Tanzid tackled the pace attack by knowing where their stumps were, and constantly left deliveries floated up outside off.
This was a noticeable difference in application from the Bangladesh batters, compared to their innings in their previous Test, when Bangladesh kept playing at, and edging, deliveries outside off. Here in Darwin, they edged none, at least on the first evening.
Shahriar Nafees, the former Bangladesh captain who now works in the BCB's cricket operations department, has been a mentor to several of the current cricketers. He explained that the Bangladesh team made a conscious break from their usual shakiness outside the off stump. Despite their hiccup in the tour game, they used their training sessions in Darwin to gauge the pace and bounce of the surface here.
"I think [Bangladesh batters] took good decisions in Darwin against similar deliveries... I think Bangladesh made maximum use of their training opportunities in Australia. They hardly missed a training session. It helped them understand the conditions as much as possible," Nafees said.
The big surprise for onlookers might be just how well Tanzid has transformed himself into a Test opener. He had initially established himself in Bangladesh's white-ball teams as a stroke-maker. Nafees said that Bashar should be credited for making the decision to bring in Tanzid, who used his calm temperament to adjust how often he brought out his full array of shot-making in Darwin, in just his second Test.
Tanzid unfurled eight fours and one six during his knock of 101, but he also batted at a strike rate of 51.26 and spent more than five hours at the crease, applying himself particularly against the new ball.
"I don't agree with the notion that Tanzid is a white-ball specialist," Nafees said. "He made his international debut through ODIs, and he has done well in those formats. He has got a good strike rate, but it doesn't necessarily make him a specialist. I believe Tanzid is seen [by the selectors] as a batter for all formats. He doesn't rush, tries to time the ball properly.
"I have worked with him closely, and we have had many discussions in the past where I have encouraged him to think about Test cricket… I told him that it is best if he batted in his natural way [even in Test cricket]. I think he lasted those five hours because he stuck to his guns, and took good decisions."
Bangladesh also built a new habit of stringing together big partnerships to stall the Australia momentum every time a wicket well. "We often have a problem of losing quick wickets after a big partnership," Bashar diagnosed. "We can't hold on to the advantage." In Darwin, Mominul and Tanzid compiled 102 runs for the second wicket. After that, Shanto and Tanzid scored 93 together for the third wicket, while Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim stitched together 66 for the fourth.
"Mominul and Shanto are confident guys who back themselves," Nafees said. "Mominul made 49 but his presence at the crease always helps younger batters. Guys like Mominul, Shanto and Mushfiqur, they are responsible characters, which provides a nice combination in this team."
The Darwin Test was also a major turning point for Mehidy, the batter. He batted out more than 50 overs with the lower order, during a period when Australia got the second new ball and would have fancied their chances of picking up the remaining three wickets.
However, Mehidy farmed the strike, helped by tempered batting from Hasan Mahmud (14 off 92), Taijul Islam (17 off 23), Taskin Ahmed (14* off 32) and Ebadot Hussain (7 off 18) at the other end, despite their low batting averages.
"I really enjoyed how our fast bowlers showed the hunger to bat," Bashar said. "It was totally different. Hasan Mahmud played more than 90 balls. Taskin, Taijul and Ebadot tried hard. You could see in this as well, that they really wanted to achieve something in the Test match. We have always wanted to do well, but this time the mentality, the hunger, was very different."
Bangladesh have rarely combined top-order solidity, middle-order flair and lower-order fight in a single Test innings. When they did so in Darwin, they thoroughly outplayed Australia, the toughest Test team to beat at home right now.
Now, they will want to replicate their success with bat in hand for the second game in a row: if they do, they will seal a historic series win, which will send further shockwaves through the cricket world. But then, it will hardly be a surprise for Bangladesh themselves if they do. They saw it all come together in the first Test. Now, their batters just need to bring the Darwin mantra to Mackay.