Just another day in paradise?
As Sri Lanka prepares to host Bangladesh for a two-match Test series later this month—followed by a white-ball leg—memories switch back to 2017 when Bangladesh recorded surprising win against Sri Lanka to level the two-match series.
At the P. Sara Oval in Colombo, Bangladesh, in their 100th Test match, stunned the hosts with a 4-wicket victory. It hinted that Bangladesh was set to become a competitive Test team. Eight years on, Bangladesh will be back on Sri Lankan soil. The question is, do they have the mettle to repeat the feat?
When Bangladesh recorded that only Test win against Sri Lanka, a nation that almost made it twice to the WTC final
Sri Lanka’s chief selector has acknowledged the visitors “have some good players in their ranks” and promised they won’t be taken lightly. Still, the hosts remain clear favourites, boasting the firepower and experience to dominate. Bangladesh’s record is dismal — 20 defeats in 26 Tests against Sri Lanka, with just a solitary win and five draws.
Bangladesh’s Test cricket history has been characterised by institutional failures and persistent struggles rather than meaningful progress. While they’ve had moments of brilliance, they remain one of the format’s most inconsistent and unsuccessful teams—a sad fact for a country with over 170 million cricket supporters. Their debut in November 2000 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium was a day of pride, with 400 in the first innings against India showing early promise. What followed, however, was a startling reality check that still resonates.
The record of Bangladesh so far is — 23 victories, 111 defeats, and 18 draws in 152 Tests. The most of these 23 victories have come against weaker sides — five against West Indies and nine against Zimbabwe—a reflection of their continuous failure to perform against tough sides. Their win percentage of 15.13 is second worst among all the top Test countries. Statistics may not tell the whole story, but in Bangladesh’s case, they offer a brutally honest assessment of underachievement.
Their initial five years in Test cricket were a nightmare. The first 35 Tests had Bangladesh losing 33 and drawing two, without a single victory in between. Innings defeats were the order of the day, and deficiencies—technical, mental, structural—were laid bare. There were voices asking if Bangladesh had been given Test status prematurely. Looking back, it’s hard to argue.
Their maiden Test victory finally arrived in January 2005 against Zimbabwe in Chattogram, a 226-run win that momentarily lifted spirits. The series victory offered hope that Bangladesh could at least compete with the lower-ranked teams. But that hope quickly faded into the broader narrative of inconsistency.
Bangladesh earned their first overseas series win in 2009 against a second-string West Indies side, which was without its regular players due to a dispute over payment. While the win was historic, the situation tempered it. A window of opportunity for change came with the emergence of the so-called ‘golden generation’. Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, and Mominul Haque constituted an evenly balanced nucleus. They were the leaders who underpinned Bangladesh’s victories over England in 2016, Australia and Sri Lanka in 2017, and very famously, New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in 2022. That triumph against New Zealand is maybe their finest Test victory.
However, none of these results translated into consistent form. Test victories were celebrated with fireworks and parades, yet they remained sporadic occurrences rather than signs of genuine improvement. At home, Bangladesh have established a reputation on turning pitches that suit their spinners. But their over-reliance on the same has left them alarmingly exposed abroad. Their away record is atrocious. For 25 years of Test cricket, Bangladesh have triumphed only six times outside the subcontinent. Trips to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Sri Lanka have consistently concluded in humiliation—most times by innings margins, a majority within four days.
The team’s failure to adapt—particularly with a fragile top order and poor pace attack—awaits to be exposed. Perhaps the lowest point came in 2019, when they suffered a crushing home defeat to Afghanistan—a team only recently granted Test status. It wasn’t a case of being outclassed by a powerhouse, but rather a revealing glimpse into Bangladesh’s fragile Test foundations.
Much of the blame lies with the country itself. White-ball formats, especially the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), have taken centre stage. The red-ball game has been sidelined. Long-term planning has given way to short-term fixes. Selection policies are inconsistent. Captains and coaches change frequently. And the domestic structure continues to fail in producing technically sound Test cricketers. Talented players are rushed into the spotlight and discarded just as quickly. Even regular white-ball players like Litton Das have struggled to transfer their success to the longer format, highlighting a glaring lack of player development.
As Bangladesh prepare to take on Sri Lanka once again, a familiar question looms — does the nation genuinely aspire to succeed in Test cricket, or is mere participation enough?
Their wins against Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand have proven that they possess the talent. But translating potential into performance, especially outside their spinning strongholds, is the test of mettle. The forthcoming tour to Sri Lanka could just decide whether Bangladesh is ready to fly or destined to repeat history.