How much can pace leader Taskin Ahmed deliver in Australia?

This incident took place during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) earlier this year. After training at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Rajshahi Warriors captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was resting. Taskin Ahmed was walking past him a short distance away.

Najmul called out to Taskin, almost shouting, “I do not know what you will do for the rest of the year, but you have to play four Tests this year.”

When Taskin came closer, Najmul made his point clear – the captain wanted Taskin in the playing eleven for all four Tests against Australia and South Africa.

The first of those four Tests begins on 13 August, against Australia in Darwin. The second Test will start in Mackay on 22 August. Bangladesh will rely heavily on its pace-bowling department, led by Taskin, during the two-Test series.

The ICC has also identified Taskin as one of the key members of Bangladesh’s pace attack for the series.

But what does the three-day warm-up match, which ended on 8 August, suggest? Certainly nothing encouraging.

Bangladesh’s innings-and-38-run defeat against a Cricket Australia XI, not even Australia’s second-string side, came as a major blow to the players’ confidence ahead of the series.

However, the scoreline makes it clear that the batting department failed far more than the bowlers. After scoring 263 in the first innings, Bangladesh were bowled out for just 54 in the second.

Hasan Mahmud was Bangladesh’s most successful bowler in the match. The pacer, who had just returned from playing English county cricket, claimed four wickets, while fellow pacer Taskin Ahmed took two.

Ahead of his first Test in Australia, Taskin is treating the match as a learning experience.

Speaking at a press conference in Darwin on Monday, he said, “The feeling of losing is certainly not pleasant. However, such things can happen in cricket. We are trying to adapt quickly to the conditions and wickets here. Despite the defeat, it was good preparation.”

Bangladesh will play a Test in Australia after 23 years. Since gaining Test status, this will be only Bangladesh’s second Test tour of Australia. The players are therefore regaining their excitement about playing Test cricket in Australia after the disappointment of the warm-up match. With conditions expected to favour pace bowling, the excitement is naturally greater among the pacers.

Taskin said, “I feel truly honoured to be here to play a Test series against Australia. There is no doubt that Australia are one of the best teams in the world. It is a matter of great pride for all our cricketers to play a Test against them on their home soil.”

However, experienced Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed has also reminded everyone that the two-Test series in Darwin and Mackay will not be easy for Bangladesh.

After losing the warm-up match, Bangladesh can draw some motivation for the challenging series from their Test victory over Australia on home soil in 2017. Bangladesh have played six Tests against Australia so far and lost five of them, with that 2017 victory their only win.

However, they achieved it on Mirpur’s notoriously turning pitch. Bangladesh won the ODI series 2–1 against Australia at the same Mirpur venue last June.

Ahead of the Test series in Australia, Taskin is also looking back at that success. He said, “We played a great series together and secured a victory against Australia. That gives us additional confidence going into the matches against them.”

Taskin, who has long been regarded as a promising force in Bangladesh’s pace attack, has reached this stage while battling a series of injuries. At one point, concerns even emerged that his Test career could come to an abrupt halt. However, Taskin made his comeback and took 19 wickets in four Tests in 2024. He could not play a single Test last year because of injury.

Taskin has nevertheless become even more focused on red-ball cricket. Najmul’s comments at the beginning of the year indicated that Taskin would be at the heart of Bangladesh’s Test plans this year.

In the current World Test Championship cycle, Taskin has so far played two Tests against Pakistan. He took six wickets in those two Tests, played in Mirpur and Sylhet last May.

Beyond his own bowling responsibilities, Taskin also uses his experience to support Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain when necessary. He has emerged as a genuine leader of Bangladesh’s pace-bowling unit.

Nahid Rana will miss the Australia series because of injury. Expectations will therefore be even higher on Taskin in the pace-bowling department. He will be one of Bangladesh’s main hopes for striking early in the innings and unsettling batters with his pace.

It is true that Taskin has not enjoyed much success in countries known for pace-friendly pitches. He has taken five wickets in four Tests in New Zealand and two wickets in two Tests in South Africa.

But those figures date back around four years! And when the game is being played in Australia, surely every pacer should feel the same way: this is my kind of territory!