Second-best Test side in Asia?

Four consecutive Test wins over Pakistan. Two successive series whitewashes. A batting line-up suddenly capable of rescuing matches from difficult positions and a bowling attack that now looks threatening across conditions.

So the question no longer sounds exaggerated anymore: is Bangladesh now the second-best Test side in Asia behind India — perhaps even among the strongest teams in the world at this moment?

That exact question was put to Bangladesh selector Habibul Bashar Sumon after the series.

Bashar paused for a few seconds before replying carefully: “That is a big statement from Bangladesh cricket.”

Perhaps it still is. But Bangladesh’s recent rise is becoming impossible to dismiss as emotion or coincidence.

After completing a commanding 2-0 series whitewash over Pakistan with a 78-run victory in Sylhet, Bangladesh climbed to seventh in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings for the first time in their history.

It is the highest ranking the country has achieved since becoming a Test nation and another indication that this side may finally be moving beyond occasional upsets into sustained competitiveness.

Bangladesh entered the series ranked ninth with 67 rating points. They now sit seventh with 78 points after victories in both Mirpur and Sylhet.

Pakistan, who started the series in sixth place with 89 points, slipped to eighth after suffering back-to-back defeats and now have 75 rating points.

The reshuffle also pushed Sri Lanka to sixth while the West Indies dropped to ninth.

Bangladesh have spent years fluctuating between eighth, ninth and 10th in the rankings since first entering the top eight in 2018.

Breaking into the top seven therefore represents more than a statistical improvement — it reflects a side gradually building consistency in the longest format.

Their rise has also carried into the ICC World Test Championship standings.

Bangladesh are now fifth in the table for the first time, collecting 28 points from four matches with a win percentage of 58.33, sitting above India, England, Pakistan and the West Indies in the current cycle standings.

Inside the Bangladesh dressing room, however, there is little sign of satisfaction. If anything, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto spent most of his post-match press conference discussing what still needs fixing.

“If you talk about areas of improvement, you can see that there is a lot of praise for the bowlers, especially the pacers who bowled brilliantly. The spinners have always delivered for us, but if you look closely, I think we can still bowl better with the new ball. Sometimes, in fact most of the time, we leak too many runs with it. So if we can make life a little tougher for the opposition right from the start, it will help the team,” he said after the series sweep against Pakistan on Wednesday.

“I also think the top-order faces a huge challenge in red-ball cricket, especially batting in difficult conditions. Even then, I would say that if we can build bigger partnerships and if one of the top-order batters can go on to score a really big individual innings, then improving in these two areas can put the team in a much better position,” he added.

Shanto was also already looking ahead, preparing for tougher opponents and more demanding conditions.

“Then there is a Test against Zimbabwe, followed by Australia, where I think the challenge will be much tougher. Like I said earlier, no matter who we play against, we want to make sure we can give teams a tough time for four or five days. If we can consistently create those difficult moments for opponents, I think we will improve further,” he stated.

The Bangladesh captain did not stop there. He openly called for more opportunities against elite Test nations in order to properly test the side’s growth.

“We actually want to play Test cricket regularly. We want to play against every team. I think now we want to play more Tests against teams like Australia, England and India, both home and away,” he noted.

“Because, as I said, only when we get opportunities to play more matches and gain new experiences will the team gradually build itself. Otherwise, if you keep playing against the same teams in the same conditions again and again, it becomes difficult to build a stronger side,” he added.

Shanto specifically urged the ICC to provide Bangladesh with more regular Test cricket against the traditional powerhouses of the format.

“So we definitely hope the ICC gives us more Test matches against all teams. Right now, getting more matches is already a positive sign. But if we can play more against Australia, England and India, it will certainly be even better for our team,” he urged.

Bangladesh are no longer speaking like underdogs grateful for occasional success. They are beginning to sound like a side planning for permanence among Test cricket’s best.