When Australia toured Bangladesh for the first time almost a decade ago it was as top dog versus underdog. Next month's contest instead shapes as being closer to a clash of equals than it has been at any time since. 
The World Cup wash-out at the Gabba earlier this year prevented Australia getting a first-hand look at how the teams match up. But even if Brisbane had been dry for what should have been Australia's second match of the tournament, the relevance now would have been limited anyway, given that Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and David Warner are among the players who will be missing for the looming Tests.
Bangladesh won plenty of admirers for reaching the World Cup quarter-finals. They have made even bigger strides since then in one-day cricket, winning home series against Pakistan, India and South Africa.
Their next step is replicating that with the red ball.
When Australia visited in   April 2006 the hosts had won only one and drawn two of their 19 home Tests, all of them against Zimbabwe. Of the 16 defeats, nine were by an innings, with the closest margin being seven wickets or 226 runs.
Almost a decade later Zimbabwe are still the only team Bangladesh have beaten in Tests at home but they have drawn a third of the 30 home Tests they have played since that Australia series, including two against each of South Africa, India and New Zealand, and one each against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
Bangladesh's line-up for their most recent Test featured five batsmen averaging more than 35 at home, topped by No.3 Monimul Haque's 66.24 from 12 Tests. Opener Tamim Iqbal has often failed to live up to expectations, but a Test double-century at home against Pakistan earlier this year showed why he is well regarded.
With the ball, seamers Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain impressed at the World Cup, while in the Tests against South Africa paceman Mustafizur Rahman claimed the wickets of Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock in the space of four deliveries as part of a four-wicket haul on debut.
When Australia toured Zimbabwe in 2006 their 14-man squad had played a combined total of 672 Tests. This time around, Australia's combined Test appearance tally will be less than half of that, while Bangladesh will have at least three players with 40 or more Tests behind them which will at least match, if not exceed, what Australia will have in their squad.