Bangladesh's new message to Australia: 'Now everyone is looking at our cricket with different eyes'

The Mackay Test ended in just two days. Bangladesh's dream of winning the series 2-0 against Australia has ended, but the achievements from the entire tour are no less. The historic win in Darwin, the series draw on Australian soil and the first rise to sixth in the Test rankings - all of this has changed the Australians' view of Bangladeshi cricket.

Chief selector Habibul Bashar, who was with the team after the tour, says that the respect that Bangladeshi cricketers have received in Australia is one of the biggest achievements of this tour.

At the team hotel in Mackay, Habibul said that since coming to Australia, everyone from ordinary people to former cricketers have praised Bangladeshi cricketers. Many people have come to restaurants or anywhere else to congratulate them. Although Australia was disappointed with the loss, they praised Bangladesh's performance.

Habibul believes that after this performance, Bangladesh's position has also changed for Australian cricketers. In his words, Bangladesh can now challenge everyone - this message is the biggest achievement.

Many people may not have even thought about a series draw before the Australia tour. By winning the first Test in Darwin, Bangladesh had even created the possibility of winning the series. However, that opportunity was missed by losing in two days at Mackay. Habibul also feels that it was difficult to beat Australia 2-0.

He also sees the toss as an important reason behind Bangladesh's failure in the Mackay Test. First, Bangladesh came out to bat and struggled on a pace-friendly wicket. Later, they were all out for just 64 runs and lost the match within two days.

According to Habibul, it was also difficult for the Australian batsmen to bat on the same wicket. He believes that if Bangladesh had had the opportunity to bowl first, the picture of the match could have been different. Australia had created such a fast wicket where any team could have come under pressure.

However, despite the disappointment of the loss in two days, there is big good news for Bangladesh. The team has risen to sixth in the Test rankings for the first time. Habibul, however, is reluctant to see this as the final success of Bangladesh's Test cricket.

According to him, Bangladesh can still go a long way. However, looking at the performance of the last two years, there is clear evidence of improvement in Test cricket. Starting from the success against Pakistan to the Darwin Test win on Australian soil, he also believes that Bangladesh is becoming a regular Test winning team.

The chief selector considers five more Tests important for Bangladesh ahead. He believes that the experience of the Australian tour will be useful in those matches. He sees the performance of Bangladeshi pacers, especially in Australian conditions, as a big positive.

Shariful Islam, who took 7 wickets in the Mackay Test, also received special praise. Habibul said that Shariful had previously told him about his dream of taking five wickets for the first time in a Test. This left-arm pacer has fulfilled that dream.

Habibul believes that Shariful's interest in red-ball cricket has also increased in the past year. Although he was more interested in white-ball cricket a few years ago, he is now trying to establish himself in Test cricket.

In Habibul's eyes, there is no alternative to success in red-ball cricket to become a world-class cricketer. And he sees one of Shariful's deliveries in Mackay as the best ball of the entire Test—the ball that dismissed Cameron Green.

A series draw on Australian soil, a rise to sixth in the rankings and the rise of the pacers – Mackay's two-day loss is not the whole story for Bangladesh. Rather, the country's Test cricket is returning from this tour with a message of new confidence and a new identity.