Mominul makes Test history

His average is second only to Sir Donald Bradman's in the history of Test cricket, but there's a good chance you've never even heard of Bangladesh's Mominul Haque.

The 23-year-old scored 80 on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan on Tuesday, his 12th score of 50 or more from just 13 Tests.

Quick Single: Bangladesh lay solid platform on day one

He now boasts an average of 63.90 from 24 innings, the second-highest in the history of Test cricket for players with a minimum of 20 innings.

He has also scored a half-century in 10 consecutive Tests, two short of the record held by South African star AB de Villiers.

Mominul’s streak of scoring at least a half-century in 10 Tests in a row has him in elite company; Sachin Tendulkar and John Edrich also achieved the feat, while Sir Vivian Richards, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir did it in 11 consecutive matches.

And Mominul is just the third batsman in history to have 12 scores of 50 or more from their first 13 Tests; Mark Taylor and Sunil Gavaskar both scored 13 in their first 13 matches.

But the left-hander is unfazed by his place amongst some of the game's greats.

"I didn't know about this feat, and I don't even want to know," Mominul said.

Mahmadullah congratulates Mominul on his century // Getty Images

"I am playing a Test match after four months. I try to remember the routines of the previous game and follow it. If it goes haywire, it becomes difficult.

"I try to stay mentally positive. I don't listen to what is being said. I will do what I have to do, and not worry about the consequences."

Mominul debuted against Sri Lanka in Galle just over two years ago, scoring 55 in a drawn match, before posting 64 and 37 in the second Test.

His maiden Test century came later that year against New Zealand in Chittagong, a magnificent 181, before he scored an unbeaten 126 against the Black Caps in the second Test in Dhaka.

He followed it up with two centuries in 2014; an unbeaten 100 against Sri Lanka in Chittagong and 131 not out on the same ground against Zimbabwe later that year.

While Mominul has dominated Test cricket, he hasn't had the same effect in the shorter forms of the game.

He has three half-centuries from 26 one-day internationals, and tellingly a career strike rate under 75, and played just two matches at the recent World Cup before he was dropped for the ODI series against Pakistan earlier this month.

But Bangladesh needed Mominul's patient approach on Tuesday as they finished with 4-236 at stumps on a slow wicket in their first Test since November.

Mominul sweeps on day one against Pakistan // Getty Images

"The ODI place is not in my control. Maybe I will get an opportunity if I make regular runs in Test cricket," he said.

"We didn't set to bat slowly. It is quite hard to score in this wicket. It keeps low, comes to the bat late. You can survive in this wicket but scoring runs is difficult.

"Shakib (Al Hasan) and Tamim (Iqbal) were attacking in ODIs but even they couldn't force the pace.

"We would have lost more wickets had we forced the issue. It is better to stay at the wicket, which will be good for the team.

"One has to work hard to score runs here. I thought I would need 100 years to score 80 on this wicket."

Australia will play two Tests in Bangladesh in October this year, their first against the subcontinental nation since 2006.

Highest averages in Test history (minimum 20 innings) 99.94 - Sir Donald Bradman (Australia) 63.90 - Mominul Haque (Bangladesh) 60.97 - Graeme Pollock (South Africa) 60.83 - George Headley (West Indies) 60.73 - Herbert Sutcliffe (England)

Scores of 50 or more in consecutive Tests 12 - AB de Villiers (South Africa) 11 - Virender Sehwag (India) 11 - Gautam Gambhir (India) 11 - Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies) 10 - Mominul Haque (Bangladesh) 10 - Sachin Tendulkar (India) 10 - John Edrich (England) 9 - Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 9 - Simon Katich (Australia) 9 - Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 9 - Matthew Hayden (Australia) 9 - Alec Stewart (England) 9 - Everton Weekes (West Indies)