Steve Smith stood out as a beacon of hope for Australia, but his efforts couldn't prevent the team from a dismal start in the first Test against Bangladesh at Marrara Stadium in Darwin. Australia struggled significantly, bowled out for just 198 runs in 53 overs, with Bangladesh pace bowler Hasan Mahmud delivering a stellar performance, claiming 6 wickets for 55 runs, marking his best Test figures.

As the Australian batting lineup faltered, key players like Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, and Cameron Green faced immense pressure, failing to deliver in crucial moments.

In response, Bangladesh ended the day at 96 for 1, with Tanzid Hasan (32 not out) and Mominul Haque (35 not out) finding relative ease against the Australian bowlers. Mitchell Starc added to his record, taking his 434th Test wicket, the highest for any left-arm bowler, by dismissing Shadman Islam.

Smith, who scored a top score of 71, had a few nervous moments but ultimately fell trying to accelerate the scoring against Mahmud. Notably, he remains without a Test century against Bangladesh, the only nation he has not achieved this milestone against.

The Australian batting lineup struggled against the impressive pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, and Mahmud, who exploited a pitch that favored seam bowling. Early wickets plunged Australia to 74 for 4 at lunch, as Weatherald (23), Travis Head (22), and Labuschagne (1) succumbed to the pressure.

With the first Test in Darwin since 2004, the match marks a significant moment in the venue's history, having previously hosted Bangladesh as the first visiting side in 2003. The Australian side faces a challenging road ahead as they seek to recover from this shaky start.