Ricky Ponting urges Australia to drop two players after 'embarrassing' Bangladesh defeat

Bangladesh secured a historic nine-wicket victory on the fourth day of the series opener in what has been viewed as an incredible win in Darwin for the Asian nation but an ‘embarrassing’ day for Australian cricket.

The Aussies are the top-ranked Test nation, while Bangladesh hasn't played a series under the five-day format in the country since a 2-0 defeat in 2003.

While this is not the first time that Australia have suffered shock home defeats in the past, the most recent example being an eight-run loss to the West Indies in 2024, the difference in this loss was the dominance that Bangladesh had across each day from the outset to record their greatest ever Test victory.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh celebrates bowling Beau Webster of Australia during day four of the First Test Match in the series between Australia and Bangladesh at Marrara Stadium on August 16, 2026 in Darwin, Australia. Getty Images

Following the defeat, icons of Australian cricket have not held back in letting their feelings known regarding this historic loss, none more so than Ricky Ponting, as he has encouraged the nation to drop two players after this result to Bangladesh.

There was an argument made coming into the Test that Australia should have used it as an opportunity to blood new talent by selecting youngsters, but the nation stuck with the old guard, a mistake in the eyes of Ponting as he explained on Channel 7.

He said: “I do these session scorecards every day, and Australia have not won one session in this entire Test match. So, what’s gone wrong? Everything’s gone wrong so far.

“This ends up being a very embarrassing defeat. I think it’s inevitable they have to make change. I was on the record at the end of last summer thinking that this was the ideal time to start to regenerate this team because the performances from some of the players.

“Look, I’m the last one to want to make a change. As a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep the group together.

Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins of Australia reacts during day two of the First Test Match in the series between Australia and Bangladesh at Marrara Stadium on August 14, 2026 in Darwin, Australia. Getty Images

“It has to get to a bad point before I start saying you ought to leave somebody out. But there had been enough evidence for me coming here to suggest that they weren’t going to lose anything or much at all by starting that regeneration, by maybe bringing in another opener, by maybe bringing in someone at No.3.

“I think that that has to happen.”

Fellow Aussie great, Mark Waugh, believes there will be changes moving forward following this defeat, and he believes Jake Weatherald will be among those to be replaced.

Speaking on Kayo Sports, Waugh said: “I think Weatherald’s the one under the most pressure, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there were two changes.

“I just think with the South Africa Test series after that, it’d be nice to give someone a Test match before South Africa if you’re going to change the batting order.

“I think you’ve got Inglis, Renshaw, McSweeney, I think they’re the next three batsmen.

"Renshaw, I know, hasn’t been picked in recent times, but he was picked as an opener originally. I think he’s playing pretty well at the moment.”

Meanwhile, former Australian bowler Trent Copeland summed up the defeat with incredible simplicity on SEN.

Copeland said: “The players themselves will be, I’m sure, distraught with how this has gone.

“I also think there is an element of they won’t be sitting in this like the world is over either, but this is a completely unacceptable test match result for Australia.

“When you are in your own conditions, I don’t care the preparation; I don’t care who’s playing for Australia even. You cannot lose to Bangladesh in Australia in a Test match.”