Shanto keeps Tigers focused

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is refusing to get carried away by the prospect of a historic Test victory in Darwin, insisting that his team must remain focused on the task rather than the result.

Bangladesh finished the third day in a commanding position after taking a 228-run first-innings lead over Australia. The hosts ended the day on 161 for four, still 67 runs behind, leaving the Tigers within sight of a potentially memorable victory.

Yet Shanto's message to his teammates has been remarkably simple: there is no reason to start thinking about the result.

Bangladesh came into the Test with questions surrounding their ability to cope with Australian conditions, particularly after their disastrous 54-run collapse in the warm-up match. Three days later, those concerns have largely been replaced by the possibility of an extraordinary turnaround.

Shanto, however, appears determined not to allow that change in circumstances to alter the team's approach.

The Bangladesh captain said before the match that the team's objective was to play good cricket across five days. With that challenge now entering its decisive stage, he wants his players to continue concentrating on what is immediately in front of them rather than looking too far ahead.

That mentality could prove important on the fourth morning.

Australia still have six wickets in hand, with Cameron Green unbeaten on 43 and Alex Carey on 19. If the pair can survive the opening spell, the hosts could potentially turn a difficult situation into a competitive second innings.

Bangladesh therefore have little room for complacency.

The bowlers have already produced one of the strongest performances of the match. Hasan Mahmud's six-wicket haul in Australia's first innings set the tone, while Bangladesh's attack continued to find breakthroughs in the second innings.

The batting unit then gave the bowlers a substantial cushion. Tanzid Hasan's century, Najmul Hossain Shanto's 84 and Mehedi Hasan Miraz's 65 helped Bangladesh reach 426 and establish the decisive first-innings advantage.

Now the captain wants the same discipline that created the opportunity to carry the team through the final stages.

For Bangladesh, the temptation is obvious. They are closer to winning a Test in Australia than they have ever been.

But Shanto's approach suggests the Tigers are not looking at the finish line yet.

One session, one wicket, one partnership at a time-that is the mindset Bangladesh will carry into the fourth day as they chase history in Darwin.