The opener’s composed 101 helped Bangladesh take control of the Darwin Test against Australia and build a sizeable first-innings lead.
Tanzid said he was able to produce the innings by sticking to his plans against the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
After dismissing Australia for 198 on the first day, Bangladesh ended the opening day on 96/1.
Tanzid then helped strengthen that foundation on day two. Despite Australia’s bowlers maintaining a disciplined line from the start, Tanzid and Mominul Haque avoided unnecessary risks and negotiated the conditions carefully.
Reflecting on the day, Tanzid said: “We are having a very good day. Our plan was to see how we could get through the first session. They were also bowling very well, so our effort was not to do anything extra.”
Tanzid remained patient throughout his innings against Australia’s pace attack. Unlike his aggressive approach in white-ball cricket, he adopted a more measured style in the Test.
His century, combined with useful contributions from Hasan Mahmud and Mehidy Hasan Miraz late in the innings, helped Bangladesh establish a substantial lead.
Tanzid believes the longer Bangladesh can bat, the stronger their position will become.
“The wicket was very good for as long as I was batting. Now, seeing Hasan and Miraz bhai batting at the end, it looks good. But they are bowling in very tight areas. We feel that the longer we can bat, the better it will be for our team.”
With three days still remaining in the Test, Bangladesh’s priority is to build as big a first-innings total as possible. Tanzid believes every additional run will make life easier for Bangladesh’s bowlers when Australia bat again.
On the plan for the third day, he said: “Since we still have three days and a lot of time in hand, the more sessions we can bat, the better it will be for us. The more runs we can score, the easier the job will be for our bowlers.”
Tanzid also credited the team management for helping him adapt to Test cricket. He said the coaching staff had clearly communicated how they wanted him to approach his batting after he was selected for the Test side.
“When I was picked for the Test team, they made it clear to me how I should play. I feel that the way I normally bat in ODIs, I have just come here with the same mindset and tried to play with the same mindset.”
