Tait-inspired quick to give Aussies top end Tests preview

Australia will get their first look at Bangladesh's Shaun Tait-inspired fast-bowling phenom, likely on pace-friendly surfaces for an ODI series that shapes as an intriguing preview to the teams' long-awaited Test campaign later this year.

The Aussies are expecting to face far more seam-up for their three 50-over matches in Dhaka than they did in their spin-dominated recent 1-2 series defeat in Pakistan, and plenty more than they saw in their most recent visit to the country's main stadium in Mirpur back in 2021.

While Nathan Ellis has fond memories of taking a hat-trick on international debut during that five-game T20 series, Australia were otherwise flummoxed by a series of turning, poppy surfaces on which neither team passed 135.

Now back in the brutally-humid Bangladesh capital for the two teams' first bilateral ODI series in 15 years, the Josh Inglis-captained visitors are expecting more neutral conditions.

"We've had a look at the New Zealand series – (the pitches) look like they had a bit more grass on the wicket, looked like the new ball tended to do a bit, and it was a bit more seam-friendly rather than spin heavy," Ingils said of Bangladesh's 2-1 recent series win over the Kiwis. "So we'll take that into account, but we're ready for anything."

Led by speedster Nahid Rana, the tall 24-year-old who has been closely mentored by Tait, the Tigers have since added a home ODI series win over Pakistan this year. Rana took five-wicket hauls against both Pakistan and NZ, having emerged as one of his country's best ever pace prospects.

"(Tait) thinks exactly the same way as I do and he lets me think in my way," Rana, who has taken 38 wickets in his first 12 Tests while occasionally touching the 150kph mark, said recently. "My mentality and his mentality is quite the same and when we work together in practice it becomes easy as we think along the same line."

While Tait recently resigned as Bangladesh's pace coach after helping reinvigorate their seam stocks, Rana, Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed will heed the Australian's lessons when they travel to Australia for Tests in Darwin and Mackay in August.

That trio bowled their side to a 2-0 home Test series win over Pakistan last month and, along with limited-overs specialist Mustafizur Rahman, will be the main threats to Australia's batting group in the forthcoming ODIs.

"I dare say there'll be some same names playing in the ODI series that will come out to Australia for the Test series," Test keeper Alex Carey, in the ODI side as a specialist batter, said this week.

"We have looked at a fair bit of their bowling and watched the Pakistan Test series, which was really entertaining. In a way, it's nice to have a look at their quick bowlers. I think their bowling attack is quite strong.

"White ball to red ball (is different), but for the players that will crossover from one-day into Test cricket, it's always nice to have a look at a bowler.

"Conditions (in Dhaka), you might see a little bit more fast bowling, but spin will always play a part in the subcontinent."

In the absence of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, Australia have been given enough hints the Dhaka surfaces will offer sufficient encouragement to seamers.

Carey noted a solid covering of live green grass on the Mirpur square in the lead-in days to Tuesday's first ODI, while statistically the venue has been more friendly to pace (56 wickets 22.89) than spin (21 at 34.85) from the five ODIs it has hosted this year.

It's a staggering turnaround from as recently as October last year when a Dhaka pitch was so unhelpful to quicks that West Indies bowled 50 overs of spin for the first time ever in an ODI.

"Everyone thinks that Mirpur only means a spinning wicket, a poor wicket, but that is not the case anymore," Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan said on Monday. "I think we can produce good wickets in Mirpur as well. We have seen that in the last two or three series.

"We will try to play on good wickets because if we can win matches on good wickets, if the bowlers bowl well and the batters can score runs, then at the end of the day our confidence is high.

"Since we have a tournament (the ODI World Cup in southern Africa) ahead of us, if we can gain confidence by playing on good wickets, it will help our team a lot."

Australia remain without five of their first-choice ODI players with the continued absences of Mitch Marsh and Travis Head. The reigning 50-over champions will however be expecting better than the honourable series defeat they recorded in Pakistan.

Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett will be welcome boosts to their pace stocks, while Ollie Peake and Matthew Short, late batting reinforcements for the Bangladesh series, look set for more opportunities after some solid showings in Pakistan.

Liam Scott and Todd Murphy are both in line to make their international debuts.

"I think anytime you take Mitch Marsh and Travis Head out the team, you lose something," Inglis said. "They're both incredibly good players, and it's unfortunate that they're not here.

"But similarly, with the Pakistan series we've just had, I think it's really important that a few younger guys are getting some experience in these conditions. Obviously, there's a World Cup on the horizon as well, so to be able to look at some different combinations and some different guys before then, is really important.

"The lessons we've learned (from Pakistan) are just about adapting to conditions. I think we're going to get different conditions here in Bangladesh, but I think it's just being really clear about your game plan, how you want to go about it, and then just doing it for longer and longer.

"The guys that had some success did it reasonably well, but we want to do it for longer and longer, and get those really big scores."

Qantas Tour of Bangladesh 2026

Australia squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Adam Zampa

June 9: First ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

June 11: Second ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

June 14: Third ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST

Australia squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa

June 17: First T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

June 19: Second T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST

All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket