In the upcoming cycle of the Future Tours Program (FTP), the India-Australia Test series, which is played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, will consist of five matches on a reciprocal basis.
When India is due to visit Australia in 2024, the expanded bilateral series will begin. According to a Cricbuzz article, the home series in India in 2023, which would be contested in February or March, will continue to be a four-Test match.
Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, who participated in seven Test series against India, including three as captain, said: "I think it's a terrific initiative as it's the closest fight to an Ashes series for the Australian squad."
Notably, the Ashes trophy frequently pits Australia and England against one another over five Test matches. India, on the other hand, recently played England over the course of five Test matches at both home and abroad; similarly, the series between India and Australia will follow the same format.
Various boards are putting the finishing touches on the following cycle of the FTP, which will go into effect following the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June 2023. At the next International Cricket Council (ICC) annual convention in Birmingham, it is anticipated that it will be approved.
Only until the FTP is made public will India's bilateral matches be known, however it is assumed that the redesigned series would begin in late 2024, when India will travel to Australia for a bilateral series.
Five Tests will be played between the two nations not for the first time. India has played three five-Test series in Australia, with the most recent being in 1991–1992, which Australia won 4-0. India hosted Australia for five games in 1959 and 1969, and for six Test matches in the 1979–1980 series. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is currently held by India, who memorably won it in 2020–21.
Part of the current WTC, the four-Test 2023 home series is essential to both clubs' hopes of advancing to the championship game. Prior to that, the Australian side will travel to India for six white ball matches (three ODIs and three T20Is) in the months of September and October. However, a definitive choice about whether the countries will play the ODIs has not yet been decided because the T20 World Cup is in October.