In the first Test held in Darwin, Bangladesh showcased their dominance over Australia on day one, despite Steve Smith receiving a controversial reprieve. The match saw Australia dismissed for 198, with Smith contributing 71 runs after a review overturned a caught behind appeal when he was on just seven.

The moment of controversy occurred when Bangladesh's Ebadot Hossain appealed for a catch, but umpire Kumar Dharmasena ruled not out. Upon review, Snicko technology showed a flat line, leading to the decision standing despite Smith's belief that he had edged the ball. Reflecting on the incident, Smith remarked, "I think so, yeah. I was lucky? Yeah, it seems that way. You got to take it sometimes."

Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud excelled with a career-best 6-55, significantly contributing to Australia’s collapse, as they lost their last five wickets for just 46 runs.

At stumps, Bangladesh reached 96-1, trailing by 102 runs. Mominul Haque remained unbeaten on 35, while Tanzid Hasan Tamim added 32 runs.

Historically, Australia has never lost a home Test to Bangladesh, with their only defeat in six encounters occurring at Mirpur in 2017. This match marks the beginning of a two-Test series.