How Bangladesh followed Virat Kohli's template to humble Australia in Darwin
What began with Virat Kohli's call for greater investment in Test cricket and India's formidable pace attack became a blueprint for Bangladesh. Mominul Haque transformed the domestic system, backed fast bowlers and changed the country's Test cricket culture. Hasan Mahmud's six-wicket haul against Australia is now proof that the gamble is paying off.
In Darwin, Bangladesh's Mominul Haque played a crucial role in the team's nine-wicket victory against Australia. Haque's skill in hitting winning runs had previously contributed to a historic win for Bangladesh at Mount Maunganui in 2022. It was under Haque's captaincy that the fast-bowling revolution began in Bangladesh, and now, its fruits are being reaped.
The early indications for this success came from former India captain Virat Kohli's advice given after a pink-ball Test in Kolkata. Kohli emphasized the importance of commitment from players and ensuring their contracts were aligned to support Test cricket. Upon Kohli's advice, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) introduced Test player contracts and made significant changes to the National Cricket League (NCL), the country's biggest four-day competition.
The BCB instructed first-class teams to play with three pacers in every match, a strategy inspired by India's successful fast-bowling lineup, including players like Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Mominul's insistence on giving fast bowlers ample opportunities to bowl has paid off, as evidenced by the impressive performance of Hasan Mahmud, who delivered a masterclass against Australia, finishing with career-best figures of 6-55.
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