Cricket Australia (CA) on Sunday has revealed its full schedule for the 2026-27 home season.
The season begins in August with a two-Test series against Bangladesh and ends with a day-night special Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of their rivalry in March. They also host New Zealand over four Tests in December-January.
The seven-month-long schedule, from August to March, will see Pat Cummins' men on a gruelling run. However, their toughest assignment won't be at home. It will be on the road, in India early next year. Australia haven't won a Test series in India since 2004-05.
“There was also a hard stop on Australia’s Test summer after the traditional New Year's match in Sydney, given the ensuing five-Test tour of India is expected to begin around a fortnight later in mid- or late-January. The BCCI is yet to confirm the schedule.
"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," Cricket Australia said.
{{/usCountry}}"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," Cricket Australia said.
{{/usCountry}}"It's a brutal run that will rule out Test stars from playing any part in the summer’s KFC BBL," it added.
Fast bowlers need special care!
Recently, Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals), Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad) were ruled out of the first few matches of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) as they were recovering from injuries. Cricket Australia says it indicates how serious coach Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey were in regard to the fitness of their fast bowlers.
"Starc, the oldest of the trio at 36, exhibited his remarkable durability by playing all five Ashes Tests this summer gone, as did Test specialist Scott Boland, who turns 37 next month. Michael Neser, 36 next week, also had a standout campaign.
"Cummins, 32, however, has played just one match in nine months – bowling Australia to the urn-clinching win in Adelaide in December – while Hazlewood, 35, has not played at all since November.
“Lyon, 38, is currently recovering from his second major soft-tissue injury in the space of two-and-a-half years.
“There will be some respite for the fast bowlers in India given there will likely be room for only one or two quicks in the Australia XI on spin-friendly wickets, but Lyon's involvement will be vital to their chances there,” CA said.
Australia's 2026/27 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)