Shaun Tait: Bangladesh have a world-class pace attack after Australia Test series
Synopsis
Shaun Tait — the man who coached Bangladesh's fast bowlers — says he wasn't completely shocked by the Darwin upset. His verdict: Bangladesh now carry a world-class pace attack across all formats, and the only question left is whether they can back it up consistently over the next three to four years.
Key Takeaways
Shaun Tait , former Australia pacer and ex-Bangladesh fast-bowling coach, has called Bangladesh's pace unit 'world-class' across all formats.
Bangladesh drew their two-Test series in Australia 1-1 , winning by nine wickets in Darwin before losing by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay .
Shoriful Islam took 7 for 48 in the second Test at Mackay; Hasan Mahmud was also among the key contributors.
Tait noted Bangladesh can choose from seven or eight competitive fast bowlers , even when frontline options like Shoriful or Rana are unavailable.
Bangladesh have risen to sixth in the ICC Test rankings ; Tait says sustaining that position over three to four years is the next challenge.
Former Australia pacer and ex-Bangladesh fast-bowling coach Shaun Tait has lavished praise on Bangladesh's pace attack, saying the Tigers now possess a 'world-class' bowling unit capable of sustaining consistent performances in Test cricket. His remarks follow Bangladesh's 1-1 series draw in Australia — a result that included a landmark nine-wicket win in Darwin.
A Result That Did Not Entirely Surprise Him
Bangladesh stunned the cricketing world by defeating Australia by nine wickets in the opening Test at Darwin, before the hosts levelled with an innings-and-51-run victory in Mackay. Tait, who spent a year as Bangladesh's fast-bowling coach, said the Darwin result was not a complete shock given what he had witnessed from the squad up close.
'The first Test match was fantastic. I knew that the team would be competitive, but I didn't know they were going to win… Obviously, they had some challenges in the second Test match, which I thought would happen as well. Bangladesh came away from Australia with a Test victory, and you can't ask for much more than that,' Tait said in an interview with The Daily Star.
Conditions in Darwin Played a Role
Tait pointed to the nature of the Darwin pitch as a significant factor in Bangladesh's first-Test victory, noting that it differed markedly from the typical Australian batting tracks further south.
'Because it's a green seamer. Australia play most of their cricket down south of Darwin. They're hard wickets, and they're usually pretty good for batting. But this wicket up there was really different. I think the toss of the coin was a big one, and Bangladesh responded with a really good bowling attack,' he said.
Depth in the Fast-Bowling Pool
Tait highlighted the remarkable depth Bangladesh now carry in their pace department, noting that even with frontline bowlers absent, the team had no shortage of quality options.
'I think with Bangladesh, you could pick any of the seven, eight fast bowlers in that country and they're all going to be competitive. Even though Shoriful wasn't there or Rana wasn't there, Taskin, Ebadot and Hasan have recently played Test cricket. On the sidelines, Khaled is there, so there are plenty of options for Bangladesh,' he said.
During the tour, Shoriful Islam claimed 7 for 48 in the second Test at Mackay, while Hasan Mahmud also made a significant contribution to the team's bowling effort.
A Shift Away from Spin Dependence
Tait noted that Bangladesh's cricketing identity is evolving, with pace bowling now commanding far greater priority than it once did in a team historically associated with spin and batting-friendly home conditions.
'Absolutely. It's slowly getting better. Like, they have a lot more priority. Bangladesh are understanding now that it's not just about spin bowling or spin wickets or the batsman. It's like you've got a whole bunch of fast bowlers, and the entire world of cricket is talking about your fast bowlers,' he said.
'Whether T20, white-ball or red-ball, they have a world-class attack. I was really lucky to spend that one year with the national team. I enjoyed my time, and I think they will have some more victories coming in the future,' he added.
The Consistency Challenge Ahead
Bangladesh have climbed to sixth in the ICC Test rankings, but Tait cautioned that sustaining that position will be the real measure of the team's progress. 'I think the main thing is can they be consistent now and whether they can stay there. What they have done is fantastic, but the biggest challenge is how long they can stay there and, for the next three-four years, whether they can compete all the time. Not just a game in a year, but all the time,' he said. The coming cycle of home and away fixtures will test whether Bangladesh's pace revolution translates into durable Test-match competitiveness.
Point of View
Played on an atypical green seamer that Australia rarely use at home, complicates the narrative slightly: conditions were unusually favourable, and the series was levelled emphatically in Mackay. The more meaningful signal is the depth Tait describes — seven or eight competitive pacers is a genuine structural shift for a side historically reliant on spin. Whether Bangladesh can replicate this on subcontinental decks against top-order batting lineups, and not just on a Darwin greentop, is the question their upcoming home series will begin to answer.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shaun Tait say about Bangladesh's pace attack?
Tait said Bangladesh possess a 'world-class' pace attack across T20, white-ball, and red-ball cricket, and that the entire cricketing world is now talking about their fast bowlers. He credited the team's growing depth, noting that seven or eight competitive pacers are available even when key players are absent.
What was the result of Bangladesh's Test series in Australia?
Bangladesh drew the two-Test series 1-1, winning the first Test by nine wickets in Darwin before losing the second by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay. It was a historic result for Bangladesh, marking a maiden Test victory on Australian soil.
Why did Bangladesh win the Darwin Test, according to Tait?
Tait attributed the Darwin win partly to the nature of the pitch — a green seamer that was markedly different from the hard, batting-friendly tracks Australia typically play on in the south. He also credited Bangladesh's bowling attack for capitalising on the conditions effectively.
Who were Bangladesh's standout bowlers during the Australia tour?
Shoriful Islam took 7 for 48 in the second Test at Mackay, and Hasan Mahmud also played a key role in Bangladesh's bowling effort across the series. Tait also mentioned Taskin, Ebadot, and Khaled as part of the deep pace pool available to the team.
Where do Bangladesh stand in the ICC Test rankings?
Bangladesh have climbed to sixth in the ICC Test rankings following the Australia series. Tait, however, stressed that maintaining that position through consistent performances over the next three to four years — not just isolated wins — is the real challenge ahead.
