Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday, May 28, confirmed a two-week prelude to what promises to be a cracker of a Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the five-match Test series between India and Australia. CA announced a couple of tour games with India A taking on Australia A in four-day matches starting on October 31 in Mackay. The second game will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from November 7 before the visitors play an intra-squad match at the WACA ground in Perth from November 15-17.
"Australia A will take on India A as a prelude to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this summer as the two top-ranked Test nations prepare for their hugely anticipated showdown," a CA statement on Twitter (now X) read. CA also confirmed that both the A matches will have first-class status.
"To have that running simultaneously with the women's ODIs and preceded by two significant Australia A v India A matches will be terrific for our fans," said Peter Roach, CA Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling. "Hosting those A matches at the upgraded Great Barrier Reef Arena and the MCG give these 'A' matches significant status and will provide great opportunities to players from both sides to put up their hand for selection."
India will be arriving on Australian soil for a Test series after four long years, the first time since the historic triumph in 2020-21. These two matches will provide the team with an ideal preparation before the blockbuster Test series that kicks off in Perth. This will be the first time in more than 30 years that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be played for five Tests. Australia haven't won it since 2017 with India winning two each both at home and away with the margin of 2-1.
