Leading up to the Test series against Australia, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz from his ODI captaincy, appointing Litton Kumar Das in his place. Officials felt the all-rounder was under too much pressure and wanted him to focus on his performance. It could certainly be a psychological blow for the all-rounder, given that he had been given the mandate to lead the side until the next World Cup. However, his performance in the lone warm-up match, where he scored a hundred, and his display in this Test suggest he has remained unaffected. When asked if he had a point to prove, Mehidy stated his mindset is clear, focusing on bowling in the right areas and batting effectively.
On Day 2, Australia took quick wickets, including centurion Tanzid Hasan, Litton Kumar Das, and Mushfiqur Rahim, threatening to derail the tourists. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto had earlier laid a strong foundation with 84 runs, but the innings looked to be collapsing after the hosts took the second new ball. Mehidy stepped in to lead a rescue act, first alongside Hasan Mahmud and continuing into the first session of the third day. Bangladesh resumed at 351-6, losing Hasan early. Taijul Islam added a quick 17 off 23 balls, including a four and a six, before edging a delivery from Josh Hazlewood to Cameron Green at gully.
Mehidy continued to frustrate the Australian attack, bringing up his 10th Test fifty from 117 balls. He batted for more than one and a half hours on the second day, facing 73 balls, and on the third day, he batted for exactly 124 minutes while facing 83 balls. He finished with 65 runs from 154 balls. He stitched two valuable 46-run partnerships, contributing 32 runs with Hasan and 30 runs with Taskin Ahmed. Rather than taking all the pressure himself, he gave his partners the confidence and importance to believe they could handle the Australian attack, and they repaid his faith. Mehidy noted that it was challenging to score with the bowlers after Mushfiqur was dismissed.
Later in the day, Mehidy dismissed Steven Smith, who had looked set for a substantial contribution after his 71 in the first innings. Smith chipped a delivery back to the bowler, who completed a sharp return catch to dismiss him for 44. Mehidy, who varied his pace to play with Smith's mind, explained that his plan was to keep things simple by not giving the batter many scoring options and consistently hitting the right areas. Following Smith's departure, there was talk of a potential innings win, but Mehidy insisted the team is not looking too far ahead. He noted the wicket is still in good condition and that taking every wicket requires hard work. With two days left, the team is focused on taking small steps and securing the remaining three wickets.
“Everyone is playing very good cricket and everyone is taking responsibility for each other.
Because when I came out, Mushfiqur bhai was out.
