Australia Will Play An Additional Test Match Against West Indies Next Year

December 7, 2024: According to a report from The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia is set to play an additional Test match against the West Indies next year as part of a three-match series. This extra fixture is expected to be added to the prestigious Frank Worrell Trophy, reinforcing Cricket Australia’s commitment to supporting the growth of Test cricket in the West Indies.

The report indicates that Cricket Australia has privately agreed to extend the series to four matches, in an effort to bolster the long-format game in the Caribbean. The last time Australia toured the West Indies was in 2015, when Michael Clarke’s team played a two-match Test series, winning both matches in Roseau (Dominica) and Kingston (Jamaica). Since then, the Aussies have not traveled to the Caribbean for Test cricket.

Earlier in 2024, the West Indies visited Australia for a two-match Test series, where they made history by defeating Australia in Brisbane. This victory, their first in Australia since 1997, added a significant chapter to their cricketing history.

While the full fixtures for the upcoming series in the Caribbean have not been confirmed by Cricket West Indies (CWI), the report suggests that Grenada and Jamaica are being considered as potential venues for the Tests, which are expected to span about a month. There are also discussions about including a pink-ball Test in the series, which would be a first for the West Indies.

This series will be crucial not only for the teams involved but also for the future of Test cricket in the West Indies, a region that has seen a decline in the format’s popularity in recent years. For Australia, the series offers an opportunity to continue their dominance in international cricket, while the West Indies will be looking to build on their historic victory in Australia earlier this year.

Currently, Team Australia is in the midst of their Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against India. After a disappointing 295-run defeat in the first Test in Perth, they are bouncing back strongly in the second match in Adelaide, where they are in a favorable position. The BGT series will run from November 22 to January 3, 2025, before Australia shifts focus to the West Indies series.