Bangladesh's fast bowlers enjoyed a highly successful opening morning in Darwin, claiming four quick top-order wickets after Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the first Test.
In team selection news, Australia opted to include Josh Hazlewood in their starting lineup, keeping Scott Boland out of the XI. Bangladesh handed starts to seamers Ebadot and Mahmud as they looked to exploit the local conditions.
The early wickets provided a much-needed boost for the visitors, who are aiming to rebound from a previous performance that saw them bowled out for a meager 54 runs. Ahead of the match, Najmul Hossain Shanto noted that adjusting to the pitch conditions would be crucial, stating that "bounce is the key" for Bangladesh's turnaround.
The positive start on the opening morning follows a challenging preparation period for Bangladesh. Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed recently admitted that losing their practice match "wasn't a great feeling." Meanwhile, Jake Weatherald spent a prolonged period of time working on his game leading up to the match.
1:23 Jake Weatherald spent 'prolonged time' working on his game
1:28 Taskin: Losing practice match 'wasn't a great feeling'
