What Hasan Mahmud's 6 for 90 says about his Test career

West Indies' seamers have put the visitors ahead in Sylhet, but the earlier part of the day belonged to Hasan Mahmud. His 6 for 90 made him only the second man since Nathan Lyon to take his first five five-wicket hauls in different countries, and he has already done better once: his career-best figures are 6 for 55.

So the scorecard alone does not make this his finest day in Test cricket. Its worth lies in what it adds to a career that has been gathering pace.

How good is Hasan Mahmud's Test record?

Over the last two years in men's Tests his bowling average is 30.8, close to the 29.42 for all bowlers over the same period. On its own, that is a sound record without being an outstanding one.

Our ratings think more of him than the raw average does, judging him worth about 10 runs a match more than an average Test bowler, which puts him among the better seamers in the world game today.

Is he bowling better than ever?

His recent Tests show a bowler who now carries the attack for long spells. He took 9 for 111 across the win over Australia in August, then 6 for 121 from 47 overs against Afghanistan, a heavy workload for a right-arm fast-medium bowler. Those two matches give him a stronger case than any single innings does.

What does the haul mean for Bangladesh?

Bangladesh cannot spare a bowler of this kind. Our ratings put them ninth of 11 Test sides, with a 33% chance of beating an average side, and West Indies already lead the series after winning the first Test by eight wickets. When a side sits that low, its wins tend to rest on one player having a big match, and the victory over Australia in August was built on his.

Measured against his own best, 6 for 90 falls just short. Measured against what Bangladesh need, it confirms Mahmud as the seamer their attack should now be built around, and with West Indies on top in Sylhet, the second innings will show whether he can carry that load twice in one Test.