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Bangladesh\u2019s stunning Test win in Australia was years in the making, tracing its roots to reforms introduced after a crisis period in 2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n The country\u2019s first-ever Test win on Australian soil on Sunday came after years of efforts to make red-ball cricket a priority, both financially and structurally, former players said.<\/p>\n Following a players\u2019 strike and the suspension of star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in 2019, Bangladesh endured a difficult tour of India, prompting a rethink at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).<\/p>\n One of the board\u2019s key decisions was to overhaul player contracts and significantly increase financial incentives for Test cricket, former captain Akram Khan told AFP.<\/p>\n Before 2019, Bangladesh players operated under a single central contract covering all three formats.<\/p>\n The BCB introduced separate contracts for Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 internationals, while doubling the Test match fee to 800,000 taka ($6,500).<\/p>\n Khan, then head of BCB\u2019s cricket operations, said the move was designed to encourage players to place greater value on the longest format.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was not much financial incentive for players to prioritise Test cricket,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought that if we increased the financial reward for Tests compared with the other two formats, the situation could change.\u201d<\/p>\n The reforms extended beyond player fees.<\/p>\n The BCB decided to prepare greener pitches for the domestic National Cricket League and introduced Dukes balls.<\/p>\n The moves were aimed at developing fast bowlers capable of competing overseas, instead of relying on the country\u2019s traditional strength of spin bowling.<\/p>\n Seizing the chance\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Former player and selector Abdur Razzak said the changes helped nurture talents such as pace bowler Nahid Rana.<\/p>\n \u201cAll those decisions we took back then are now helping us get the result we wanted for a long time, which is to be a competitive side away from home,\u201d Razzak said.<\/p>\n Remarkably, Bangladesh pacemen accounted for all the wickets in Australia\u2019s first-innings 198 in Darwin, with Hasan Mahmud taking career-best figures of 6-55.<\/p>\n The fast-bowling progress has been evident in recent years.<\/p>\n Bangladesh have secured Test victories in New Zealand and the West Indies, swept Pakistan at home and away, before their breakthrough against Australia by an emphatic nine wickets.<\/p>\n The Darwin Test also ended Bangladesh\u2019s 23-year wait for a match in Australia.<\/p>\n Bangladesh had not played a Test there since 2003 after several planned tours failed to materialise.<\/p>\n The match, part of the World Test Championship cycle, was staged in Darwin, rather than more popular venues like Melbourne and Sydney.<\/p>\n It was also not scheduled during Australia\u2019s traditional home summer season.<\/p>\n But Bangladesh seized the opportunity, dominating top-ranked Australia in all facets of the game.<\/p>\n The shock result could strengthen their position in future scheduling negotiations.<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be an FTP meeting next month,\u201d BCB president Tamim Iqbal said, referring to the International Cricket Council\u2019s Future Tours Programme.<\/p>\n \u201cThis victory will help us in discussions with other teams,\u201d Iqbal told reporters in Dhaka on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will try to make the FTP as competitive as possible and play against the bigger teams.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n