Australia Had 3 World Cups! Things That Didn't Exist When Bangladesh Last Played A Test Down Under

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Bangladesh will be on the Australian shores for a Test series for the second time ever. It has been 23 years since the Bangla Tigers last played a Test match Down Under. 

Although the cricketing gap between Australia and Bangladesh has narrowed in the last 23 years, the Aussies are still miles ahead, while the Asian team still has a lot of ground to make up. 

Australia vs Bangladesh rivalry

Since that tour of Australia in 2003, Bangladesh have played three more Test matches against the Men in Yellow, all of them being played in the sub-continent. The mighty Aussies won two of them, while the Tigers bagged their maiden Test victory at Mirpur in 2017.

Notably, a couple of years after the tour to Australia, Bangladesh were able to win their first ODI against Australia, at Cardiff in June, 2005. 

However, it took the Asian team 21 more years to bag another ODI victory over the Aussies. But it wasn't just a victory; they outclassed Australia by a margin of 2-1 at home. 

That said, Bangladesh and Australia's head-to-head record comes closer in the shortest format, as the Men in Yellow lead by 7-4 in T20Is. 

Also Read: Australia Playing XI Vs Bangladesh For 1st Test Announced; Ashes Hero Out

In this article, we will talk about how things were different for Australia and Bangladesh the last time the two played a Test series Down Under.

How was world diffferent for Bangladesh back in 2003?

• Bangladesh legends Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and Tamim Iqbal had yet to make their international debuts.
• Mashrafe Mortaza was even an integral member of the Bangladesh team, but a rookie pacer was coming into the fold. 
• No one from Bangladesh, apart from Habibul Bashar, had over 1000 runs in the Test format. 
• Bangladesh were to make a mark in international cricket. Although they had been playing the longest format since 2000, they won their first Test two years after their Australian tour.
• The Asian giants were considered minnows back then. After 12 years of that tour Down Under, they advanced to the knockout stage at an ICC event for the first time. 
• Amite Hasan, the youngest player across both Test squads, was an infant back then. 

How was the world for Australia back in 2003?

• Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Matthew Hayden were the flag-bearers of Australian cricket. 
• Back then, Ponting had 4787 runs in Test cricket, which is even less than what Mominul Haque has. 
• Hayden’s Test century tally was 14 tons, which is as many as Mushfiqur Rahim has currently. However, the Bangladesh wicketkeeper has 29 half-centuries in the longest format, while the Aussie opener had 10 Test fifties back then. 
• Australia were three-time World Cup Champions, not six-time winners. They were yet to lift their maiden Champions Trophy as well as the T20 World Cup. In total, they have 10 ICC titles in their cabinet. 
• The likes of Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Pat Cummins were not even close to making their international debuts. None of them had even played First-Class cricket by then. 
• John Howard was the PM of Australia and was amidst his 11-year stint in the top chair.

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