Australia captain Pat Cummins admitted on Sunday that Bangladesh outplayed his side in all facets of the game as the visitors secured a historic nine-wicket victory in the opening Test in Darwin.
"Yeah, they did. I think they, yeah, outplayed us in all facets really. You know, I thought they were really patient and quite disciplined. And, you know, once we fell behind, it was really hard to get back," Cummins said during the post-match presentation.
Resuming their overnight score of 161 for four, Australia needed their remaining batters to produce a significant contribution to set Bangladesh a challenging target. However, apart from Cameron Green's 104, none of the other Australian batters could make a substantial impact as the hosts were bowled out for 284.
That left Bangladesh needing just 57 runs for victory, and the visitors completed the chase with the loss of only one wicket. Shadman Islam remained unbeaten on 25, while Mominul Haque finished on 30 not out as Bangladesh reached their target in the second session of the fourth day.
Cummins backed Australia's preparation ahead of the Test but acknowledged that their failure to make the most of the conditions with the bat and ball ultimately cost them the match.
"Yeah, probably that Day 1. You know, I thought our preparation was pretty much spot on, I thought it was excellent. So yeah, no excuses there. They played really well. I thought the Day 1 wicket, there's a little bit in it early, but obviously got to try and find a way to bat a little bit longer than we did. And then, yeah, just couldn't penetrate with the ball. But, you know, I thought they played really well," he said.
Australia were bowled out for just 198 in their first innings before Bangladesh piled up 426, securing a commanding 228-run lead. The hosts never recovered from that deficit despite Green's century in the second innings.
With the second Test scheduled to begin in Mackay on August 22, Cummins hinted that Australia could consider changes to their playing XI after their comprehensive defeat.
"I think every time there's a game like this, you always kind of look at your matchups and, you know, your makeup of the team for the next one. But, yeah, we only just finished, so we'll have a think about it. You know, we're pretty good at bouncing back. So no doubt the batters and every group will get together and have a good think about this one and where we can improve," he added.
