Bangladesh ponder changes to XI for second Test in Mackay

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons is unsure whether he will provide left-arm quick Shoriful Islam a recall for the second ICC World Test Championship fixture against Australia in Mackay.

Shoriful missed Bangladesh's nine-wicket triumph over the Aussies in the opening game of the series in Darwin as he recovered from a hamstring injury, but the 25-year-old has since trained fully and declared himself fit to return to the side for the series decider in the north of Queensland that commences on Saturday.

While Simmons admitted he is tempted to recall Shoriful to the side immediately, the Bangladesh coach suggested he wasn't a certain addition given how well his fellow fast bowlers performed during the first Test.

"He (Shoriful) offers something different, but again, we just won a Test match, so I am one who hardly likes to change winning XIs," Simmons said. 

"So it is a possibility, but I can't really say until we sit down and decide what we want to do.

"I'm impressed with all the bowlers because I think everybody bowled to what we spoke about (in Darwin). They (Australia) are good batters, they're world class batters.

"When you get them on this stage, you try and be consistent in areas that will test them, and it worked this time. Another day, it might not work, but as long as we stick to what we've planned and we make sure that they're under pressure all the time, is what we ask for."

Simmons said his Bangladesh players have arrived in Mackay full of confidence following their upset victory in the first Test, but the former West Indies international remains wary of an immediate and strong response from Australia as they look to maintain their position at the head of the World Test Championship standings.

The loss to Bangladesh in the opening Test was just Australia's second defeat of the current World Test Championship cycle and Simmons has warned his players to be ready for an improved performance from the hosts.

“The only thing I had to say to them, and I will repeat it anywhere, is that Australia is going to come harder. So we have to either keep that level of performance or get a little bit better,” Simmons said.

“Even if we get one percent better in some areas, then we will have to make sure that that's there. But we know that they are going to change their game, they're going to come harder at us.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Musfik Hasan, Litton Das, Shoriful Islam

Series schedule:

First Test: Bangladesh won by nine wickets
Second Test: August 22-26, Mackay