Black Caps line up rare tour of Australia
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The Black Caps will play their first four-test series against Australia when they tour later this year in what will be their first four test series against any opponent for 26 years.
New Zealand's schedule was released by Cricket Australia has matches in Perth (December 9-13), Adelaide (17-21), Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 4-8), making them the main course of Australia's home summer.
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The tour was originally supposed to be three tests but a fourth was squeezed into a hectic schedule for both teams.
The Black Caps host India directly before crossing the Tasman and Australia then are to leave for India almost straight after the series which will be played within a month, with short turnarounds between all four games.
New Zealand won't have time to play a warmup match ahead of the Perth opener while Australia will come eight white ball matches against England.
New Zealand's last four-test series was their 2-1 win over England in 1999. Prior to that, it was a tour of the West Indies, which the strong host side won 2-0.
Five test series remain off the agenda for New Zealand. They have played in their history but the most recent was against the West Indies in 1972.
History will be against the current world fith ranked ranked Black Caps toppling the top-ranked Australians, who have dominated their recent meetings in the longest form.
The Black Caps lost 3-0 in Australia during the 2019-20 summer and 2-0 with one draw in 2015. They drew 1-1 in 2011, winning the second test in Hobart after losing the first in Brisbane.
Australia have won seven of their last eight tests, with the other drawn, including a 3-0 series whitewash when the teams last met in Australia six years ago.
Meanwhile, the White Ferns will also be on Australia's home schedule next summer, playing six white ball matches in February and March.
There are three T20 matches in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne in late February, followed by three ODI matches in early March.
