Darwin, 12 August 2026:
Australia captain Pat Cummins and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto expect conditions in Darwin to offer pace and bounce as the teams prepare for Thursday’s opening Test, with both welcoming the return of international cricket to Australia’s Top End.
Cummins said the Marrara Stadium surface appeared hard and was likely to provide a good contest between bat and ball, although Australia had limited recent experience of Test conditions in Darwin.
“It looks really good,” Cummins said. “Looks and feels hard. I think there was an A game out here last year and it was a pretty good batting wicket, but a bit of pace and bounce.”
Cummins said he had previously played Australia A cricket and attended training camps in the Northern Territory and welcomed the opportunity for the national team to return to a part of the country it rarely visits.
“It’s great, we’re a big country so it’s great that we’ve got plenty of different seasons,” he said. “We don’t get to come up to this part of the world too often.”
The occasion will carry particular significance for Jake Weatherald, who grew up in Darwin. Cummins said the opener had enjoyed being back in familiar surroundings ahead of the Test, describing the city as a place “really special to him.”
For Bangladesh, Darwin represents both a historical return and an unfamiliar challenge. The visitors last played Test cricket in the city 23 years ago.
“It’s a very good opportunity for us,” Shanto said. “I think 23 years before we played here and then we are very lucky to come again.”
Shanto said Bangladesh arrived 10 to 12 days early to prepare for the expected extra bounce and believed the grass-covered surface could offer bowlers some assistance.
