Australia announce XI for first AUS vs BAN Test; BIG three return
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
AUS vs BAN 1st Test starts on August 13 in Darwin.
The Australian Cricket Team are going to play their first Test in eight months, and the series will be part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 Cycle. The Pat Cummins-led side is comfortably sitting at the top spot in the WTC Points Table with a PCT of 87.50 and 84 points.
Australia and Bangladesh are set to play a two-match Test series, which will begin on August 13, and both sides will be aiming to start this series on a positive note. Australia are among the favourites to qualify for the next WTC Final; Bangladesh will be hoping to continue their improvement in the WTC Points Table.
Interestingly, Bangladesh are ahead against teams like India, England and Pakistan in the WTC 2025-27 standings with a PCT of 58.33. Out of four Test matches played so far, Bangladesh have won 2 tests, lost one, and one ended in a draw.
Ahead of the opening Test in Darwin, Australia have officially announced their XI. Pat Cummins will be leading the side in the first Test with experienced stars returning from injury as the hosts look to begin the series with a win.
Australia announce Playing XI for AUS vs BAN 1st Test
Australia have named a strong XI for the first test against Bangladesh, which will be played at Marrara Stadium in Darwin from August 13 to August 17, 2026.
Captain Pat Cummins confirmed that Josh Hazlewood is returning to the side, with veteran spinner Nathan Lyon also back after recovering from a hamstring injury. Australia’s pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will be playing together in a Test match for the first time in more than a year.
Australia decided to back Hazlewood instead of Scott Boland despite having impressive performances during the Ashes when several senior bowlers were unavailable.
Cummins admitted that it was a difficult decision but believes Boland will continue to play an important role during Australia’s busy Test schedule in the future.
“They’re both pretty class, aren’t they? We were pretty certain we wanted ‘Lyono’ on the side, so it came down to working out what the make-up of the quicks was. It’s always a pretty tight call. There’s not much you can say to Scotty other than obviously there’s a lot of cricket coming up. But he knows his worth and how good he is,” said Pat Cummins
Australia’s Playing XI for the first Test vs Bangladesh
Pat Cummins (C), Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
When does the AUS vs BAN 1st test start?
The AUS vs BAN 1st test begins on August 13, 2026 at Marrara Stadium in Darwin.
Who is leading Australia in the AUS vs BAN 1st test?
Pat Cummins is captaining side in the two-match Test series.
For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Amit Patel is a passionate sports enthusiast and a devoted Virat Kohli admirer who proudly supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Having been involved in sports from a young age, he has played chess at the district level and represented his college in various competitions. Amit closely follows Indian cricket, with a special interest in tracking young talents and rising stars making their mark at the highest level. Alongside his love for the game, he is an experienced sports content writer who enjoys crafting stories that connect with fans.