New Delhi: Australia and New Zealand are set to undertake a punishing schedule of playing four Tests in four weeks in the December-January window.
Cricket Australia (CA) released its 2026-27 schedule in which four Tests against New Zealand were scheduled to be held in Perth (December 9-13), Adelaide (17-21), Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 4-8).
It is the first time New Zealand will play a series of more than three Tests since 1999.
Australia’s season commences in August with two Tests against Bangladesh and concludes with a day-night match in Melbourne to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Test battles against England.
Australia will play in 10 Tests in 14 weeks between early-December and mid-March that includes Test tour of South Africa until the end of October.
It is followed an eight-game white-ball home series in November. After hosting New Zealand, Australia tour India for a five-Test series expected to begin in mid- or late-January, the schedule for which is yet to be confirmed.
Ageing team
Australia’s formidable but ageing team will have to manage the workload of players, particularly of their star pace bowling trio.
Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will skip the first few rounds of IPL 2026 while 38-year-old spinner Nathan Lyon is on the mending table from a soft-tissue injury.
Thirty-six year old Starc along with soon to be 37 Scott Boland featured in all five Ashes. Fellow seamer Michael Neser, who also excelled in the five-match Ashes series will be 36 next week.
Thirty-two year old Cummins has played in only one match in nine month while 35-year-old Hazlewood is yet to be in action since November.
Australia’s Test schedule
August: Two Tests v Bangladesh (home)
October: Three Tests v South Africa (away)
December-January: Four Tests v New Zealand (home)
January-March: Five Tests v India (away)
March 11-15: 150th year anniversary Test v England (home)
June: WTC Final, if qualified (neutral, England)
June-August: Five Tests v England (away)