Cricket Australia (CA) on Sunday announced the 2026-27 home calendar, which will be headlined with a historic four-Test series against New Zealand. The series will mark the first instance of the Kiwis playing in more than three Test matches since 1999.
In what will be a hugely demanding stretch in their history, Australia are set to play 10 Tests between December and March in a 14-week window. The home season kicks off in August 2026, with the Aussies hosting Bangladesh for two Tests and will close out in March 2027 with a day-night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against England. This game will also mark the 150th anniversary of the format.
New Zealand Tests squeezed in one month
Meanwhile, the four Tests against the Blackcaps have been squeezed into just a month, with the opener being played from December 9-13, while the fourth game will take place from January 4-8.ย
The home season begins with the Test series against Bangladesh from August 13 onwards. The Aussies will host three ODIs and five T20Is before the New Zealand Test series kicks in.
India tour to have short turnaround
The scheduling of their Test series against New Zealand leaves Australia with a short turnaround for their Border-Gavaskar series tour to India. That series is expected to begin in mid or late January. Winning a Test series in India remains the final frontier for some of the celebrated Australian bowlers. “That Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour, a final frontier for the likes of Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, who have never won a series in India, will also be a quick-fire campaign given CA’s anniversary Test begins back in Melbourne on March 11,” CA said in a statement.
“The call to hold back all three of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood from at least the first few rounds of the soon-to-begin IPL shows CA is wary of getting their trio to the finishing line of the intense 2026-27 run,” it added.
Australia’s Test schedule:
August: Two Tests vs Bangladesh (home)
October: Three Tests vs South Africa (away)
December-January: Four Tests vs New Zealand (home)
January-March: Five Tests vs India (away)
March 11-15: 150th anniversary Test vs England (home)
June: WTC final (if qualified, England)
June-August: Five Tests vs England (away).