For Shanto, that improvement has opened the door to a T20I return, while the Asian Games provide a platform to begin building his role as a stabilising presence ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Former captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has returned to Bangladesh’s T20 fold for the upcoming 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announcing a strong 15-member squad for the event on Wednesday.

The Bangladesh Test side touched down in Dhaka on Friday, welcomed with flowers by members of the Bangladesh Cricket Board after a memorable tour of Australia.

For Bangladesh, however, the rating raises a familiar question: would the same surface receive similar treatment if it had been prepared in the subcontinent?

While the wicket played its part in making batting difficult, the visitors also made things harder for themselves against Australia in the Mackay Test.

Shanto hopes that more regular opportunities against top teams and in difficult conditions can help turn such breakthroughs into sustained progress.

Shanto said the challenge in Mackay exposed areas of Bangladesh's batting that need work.

The Tigers know a sterner test awaits in Mackay, where conditions are expected to offer more assistance to Australia.

Bangladesh have five pace bowlers available for the Test, but Shanto said the final combination would only be decided after another inspection of the Mackay surface on Saturday morning.

Teammates Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mominul Haque also moved up in Test rankings

“The Bangladesh of 23 years ago and this Bangladesh are not the same.” When Najmul Hossain Shanto made that statement on the eve of the Darwin Test, many might have quietly smirked.

If the manner of Bangladesh’s performance in the first Test against Australia in Darwin, which culminated in a commanding nine-wicket victory on Day 4 yesterday, is anything to go by, the Tigers are a very different unit from the one that last toured Australia 23 years ago.

Shanto said the victory had been built on a collective effort rather than one outstanding individual performance.

The Tigers entered the Test in Darwin hoping simply to play five days of competitive cricket, but three days into the match they find themselves in a commanding position after producing an impressive all-round performance.

Tanzid Tamim starred with a spectacular century, perfectly supported by a crucial half-century from skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Bangladesh have caught the cricketing world’s attention after dominating Australia through the first two days of their opening Test in Darwin.

Bangladesh’s 23-year wait to play a Test on Australian soil will finally come to an end when they take on the hosts in the opening Test of the two-match series at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin on Thursday.

Shanto also made clear that Bangladesh’s focus was on competing throughout the Test rather than worrying about how long it might last.

Grass-covered pitches, steep bounce, persistent seam movement and unfamiliar conditions have often made life difficult for visiting Asian sides, with Bangladesh enduring one of the toughest struggles.

Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto began Thursday's pre-tour press conference in an unusual way, turning the tables on journalists by asking what they expected from Bangladesh in the upcoming two-Test series against Australia.