Australia’s humiliating nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh has accelerated requires regeneration of its ageing Check crew with opener Jake Weatherald and the inconsistent Marnus Labuschagne within the firing line.
Additionally learn | AUS vs BAN Test Day 3: Bangladesh close in on historic win as Australia falter
The conflict in Darwin had been touted as a mismatch after Bangladesh crumbled to an innings defeat of their solely warm-up recreation and went into the primary Check with out injured tempo spearhead Nahid Rana.
However in one of many greatest upsets cricket has seen, the guests pulled off a historic victory on Sunday (August 16, 2026) to depart top-ranked Australia shell-shocked and dealing with recriminations.
Australia have suffered shock house defeats within the latest previous, together with an eight-run loss to the West Indies on the Gabba in 2024.
However the method of this crushing loss, with Bangladesh dominating every of the 4 days, had Australian media Monday (August 17) slamming it as “a catastrophe” and the “most embarrassing” ever.
Former captain Ricky Ponting, who scored greater than 13,000 Check runs, mentioned it was time for robust choices.
“I am the final one to wish to make change,” he mentionedwhen the Check was in its demise throes.
“As a captain or as a participant I wished to maintain a bunch collectively, so it has to get to a foul level earlier than I begin saying you have to go away someone out.
“However there’s been sufficient proof for me coming right here [Darwin] to counsel they weren’t going to lose something, or a lot in any respect, by beginning that regeneration, bringing in one other opener, bringing in somebody at three… I feel that has to occur.”
Aside from Steve Smith (71 and 44) and second-innings century-maker Cameron Inexperienced, the Australian batting was poor with too many comfortable dismissals.
Weatherald and quantity three Labuschagne are most in danger, each averaging beneath 27 because the begin of the Ashes towards England in late 2025 and quickly operating out of lives.
“The 1-2-3, as Ricky and I’ll inform you, are completely elementary to the set-up of a batting crew,” former opener Matthew Hayden mentioned.
“When they’re consistently placing that center order beneath strain, Steve Smith arriving method sooner than he ever must be, then you have to begin to reply these questions.”
Chew the bullet
Josh Inglis was the spare batter for Darwin, however skipper Pat Cummins mentioned selectors may search for options outdoors the 13-man squad, acknowledging the batting failures had been “somewhat little bit of a pattern”.
A rejuvenated Matt Renshaw coming in for Weatherald is the obvious change for the second Check beginning in Mackay on Saturday (August 22).
However there’s additionally rising assist for a youthful technology to be given an opportunity, with Sam Konstas, Campbell Kellaway, Ollie Peake and Cooper Connolly knocking on the door.
“You need to chew the bullet at some stage,” Australian nice Mark Waugh mentioned whereas former opener David Warner, whose place within the crew has proved onerous to fill since he stop in 2024, added: “I feel we have to start out blooding some children.”
With Australia dealing with a troublesome three-Check problem in South Africa as their subsequent task in October, throwing in no less than one teenager at Mackay to realize expertise would make sense.
Australian media steered Kurtis Patterson or Nathan McSweeney had been the 2 frontrunners to take Labuschagne’s spot, though neither has been in excellent kind.
Darwin was the primary of as much as 21 Assessments Australia will play over the following 12 months, and the tried and examined bowling unit of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon is seemingly nonetheless in favour, regardless of their superior years.
Getting back from harm, Hazlewood shut down debate over whether or not he stays Australia’s first-choice assault bowler with a six-wicket haul in Bangladesh’s first innings.
Veteran off-spinner Lyon, additionally on the comeback from harm, seems most weak with the 38-year-old outbowled by Bangladesh counterpart Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Understudy Todd Murphy, 25, is taken into account first within the pecking order to take over.
Printed – August 17, 2026 08:41 am IST
