Now Reading: Australia’s big four reunite for first Bangladesh Test in Darwin
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Australia’s big four reunite for first Bangladesh Test in Darwin
Australia will host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series beginning Thursday at Darwin's Marrara Stadium, ending a 20-year absence of Test cricket in the country's tropical north. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan…
The Story in Brief
Australia will host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series beginning Thursday at Darwin's Marrara Stadium, ending a 20-year absence of Test cricket in the country's tropical north. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc are all fit and available together for the first time in over a year. Scott Boland misses out, while Cameron Green and Beau Webster both make the XI after Usman Khawaja's retirement freed a spot.
The series kicks off a 12-month period in which Australia are scheduled to play at least 20 Tests, including series against South Africa, India, England and New Zealand. Bangladesh are without key bowlers Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam for the first Test. The second Test will be held at Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena from August 22. Bangladesh's only Test win against Australia was their 2017 victory in Mirpur.
The Indian Opinion
For all the talk of Test cricket's decline, Australia are playing 20 Tests in a year. The 'Big Four' return, and the venue shift to Darwin and Mackay is driven by commercial necessity, not romance. Fans love the nostalgia of winter Tests, but the real story is Cricket Australia's A$11 million deficit and public funding propping up regional cricket. The real test? Whether crowds in the north actually turn up.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, rediff.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
