Cricket Australia Announces ‘A’ Series Between Australia-India To Be Played At The MCG

Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar test series between India and Australia, the MCG will host two first-class matches at the MCG, along with an intra-squad match.

Australia’s potential Test players will compete against their Indian counterparts in what promises to be an exciting warm-up event, marking the beginning of India’s tour for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

These red-ball matches will not only give young Australian and Indian players a platform to display their skills, but will also serve as crucial preparation for the Indian senior team aiming for a third successive series win on Australian soil.

The opening game of the Australia A series will be held at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay from October 31 to November 3. This will be followed by the second match at the MCG from November 7-10, providing the Indian team a preview of the conditions they can expect at the venue where the fourth Test will be played six weeks later. The MCG, known for its history in hosting memorable matches, last saw an Australia A game in 2020 against England Lions. The ‘A’ series matches will maintain their first-class status, in line with previous series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The internal India squad match is scheduled for November 15-17 at the WACA Ground, offering the visiting players a final opportunity to stake their claim for selection before the commencement of the Border-Gavaskar series at Perth Stadium on November 22.

While uncommon, the concept of an intra-squad match during an overseas tour has been seen before, notably when Australia utilised the approach prior to the 2019 Ashes series. The upcoming Border-Gavaskar series, spanning five Tests, will be the first of its kind in over 30 years between the top two ranked Test teams. Australia will be seeking to reclaim the trophy they last held in 2017, having faced defeat in the last four consecutive series by 2-1 margins.

Fans eager to witness the action can secure their tickets for Australia’s international cricket summer, featuring the Border-Gavaskar Tests and women’s CommBank ODIs against India, from June 14. You can also register your interest for tickets here.