A home series against Bangladesh was expected to give Australia a chance to shake off the rust and begin a busy year of Test cricket. Instead, the nine-wicket defeat in Darwin has left the top-ranked side facing questions about its batting and the future of the team. Australia were beaten inside four days on Sunday after Bangladesh dominated the first Test. The result was described by Australian media as one of the country's biggest Test defeats, with ninth-ranked Bangladesh outplaying the hosts.
The second and final Test in Mackay, Queensland, begins on Saturday and now carries greater importance than expected. Australia need a convincing win to level the series and ease concerns that the Darwin defeat was more than just a one-off result. "Let's call this out for the gob-smacking shambles that it was ... Australia’s nine wicket loss to Bangladesh is both the greatest upset in Test history and the most humbling Test loss ever suffered by an Australian cricket team," veteran cricket writer Robert Craddock opined in the Courier Mail newspaper, as quoted by Reuters. "None of Australia’s 236 Test losses over 150 years quite compare to it." Captain Pat Cummins did not try to hide Australia's poor performance after the match. He said the game was lost on the opening day, when Australia were dismissed for 198, but the problems extended beyond that innings. Australia struggled throughout the match, losing ground across all four days and in every session. The main focus has been on the team's batting. The concerns are not new and had already emerged during the home summer, when Australia won the Ashes 4-1 against England. Opener Jake Weatherald has yet to show that he can consistently perform at Test level and may get one more opportunity in Mackay. Marnus Labuschagne is also under pressure after two poor dismissals in Darwin. Once a key player in Australia's top order, his continued struggle is putting more pressure on the batters below him. The defeat has also renewed calls for Australia to bring in younger players. Head coach Andrew McDonald and his coaching staff may have to consider changes despite the lack of young batters putting up enough runs in domestic cricket to demand selection.