Cricket Australia (CA) has purportedly made a formal request to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for a reshuffling of its upcoming two-match Test tour in Australia. The originally slated dates for March 2027 are now being proposed to be moved to August-September 2026.
The motive behind this proposed adjustment is CA’s desire to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the inaugural Test match played in 1877 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In celebration of this historic milestone, CA aims to host a special one-off Test against England, reminiscent of their centenary Test held in March 1977 at the MCG.
BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury reported Cricbuzz in an exclusive interview “They (CA) have requested us to reschedule it (tour for Test series in 2027) but it is still under discussion. They have got a plan to celebrate their 150 year anniversary and that is a national commitment and due to that they want to reschedule the Test series against us and working on that.”
Preceding the proposed Bangladesh Tests, the Australian cricket team is set to engage in a three-match Test series against New Zealand in the summer of 2026. Reports suggest CA’s interest in extending this series to four Tests, followed by a challenging five-match Test tour of India scheduled for January-February 2027.
However, accommodating a two-match Test tour to Australia in August-September 2026 poses a logistical challenge for Bangladesh. The Bangla Tigers have a tightly packed calendar, including tours to Zimbabwe and Ireland in July and August, followed by fixtures against West Indies at home and South Africa away in October and November.
Notably, Bangladesh has not toured Australia since 2003, marking a significant gap. The anticipated tour in 2018 was canceled due to concerns over its commercial viability as perceived by host broadcasters.
Adding an intriguing historical note, Australia’s victories in both the inaugural Test in 1877 and the 100th-anniversary Test in 1977 shared a common margin – 45 runs. Despite the distinct narratives of these matches, the outcomes remained identical, creating a fascinating tidbit for cricket enthusiasts and quiz aficionados alike.
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