Cricket Australia has confirmed the international calendar for the summer Down Under. The summer schedule released by CA today (Thursday) will include a four-Test series against India during December-January. The series will also include a ‘Pink Ball’ Test at the Adelaide Ova. India will also play three T20Is and as many ODIs in Australia.
The Men in Blue will play the T20 International series against the Australians between October 11 and 17. The team will return to play Tests and the One Day International series a month later. The first five-day match is scheduled at Brisbane from December 3. The four-match Test series will be followed by three ODIs between January 12 and 17.\
Australia will host Afghanistan for a Test series, while other limited-overs internationals are scheduled against Zimbabwe, New Zealand and the West Indies.
Cricket Australia has unveiled a full international fixture for the 2020-21 summer as confidence grows for a bumper summer of cricket after the nation has started lifting restrictions imposed to tackle the threat of COVDI-19 pandemic, which has impacted over 200 nations worldwide.
“While acknowledging the difficulty in navigating a global pandemic, we are nonetheless encouraged by the progress Australia is making in combating the coronavirus and the positive impact that is having on our ability to host an exciting summer of cricket in 2020-21,” CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said in a statement.
“We know that circumstances or events beyond our control could mean that the final schedule potentially may look different to the one released today, but we’ll be doing everything we can to get as much international cricket in as possible this summer.
“We will communicate any changes to the schedule if or when they are required.”
The Australian men will begin their summer with a three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe from August 9, followed by the T20I series against West Indies and India. They play an inaugural Test against Afghanistan in Perth, while Gabba will host the opening match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Full fixtures list:
Australia v Zimbabwe: August 9 : 1st ODI ,TBC; August 12 : 2nd ODI, TBC; August 15: 3rd ODI, Riverway Stadium, Townsville).
Australia v West Indies: October 4 : 1st T20I, Riverway Stadium, Townsville; October 6: 2nd T20I, Cazaly’s Stadium Cairns; October 9: 3rd T20I, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast.
Australia v India: October 11 : 1st T20I, Gabba, Brisbane ; October 14 : 2nd T20I, Manuka Oval, Canberra; October 17 : 3rd T20I, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
Australia v Afghanistan: November 21-25: Only Test, Perth Stadium, Perth.
Australia v India: December 3-7: 1st Test, the Gabba, Brisbane; December 15: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; December 26-30: 3rd Test, Boxing Day Test, Australia v India at the MCG, Melbourne; January 3-7: 4th Test, SCG, Sydney.
ODI Series: January 12 : 1st ODI, Perth Stadium, Perth; January 15: 2nd ODI, MCG, Melbourne; January 17: 3rd ODI, SCG, Sydney.
Australia v New Zealand: January 26: 1st ODI, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide; January 29 : 2nd ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra; January 31 : 3rd ODI, Blundstone Arena, Hobart; and February 2 : Only T20I, SCG, Sydney.