Cricket Australia (CA) has avoided a repeat of last year's disjointed scheduling for its Test players, placing close to a two-week gap into the calendar before this summer's men's Ashes. The schedule for next summer was released on Sunday night, with no genuine surprises included given the dates for the men's Ashes Tests were announced last December. International cricket will return to Darwin for the first time in 17 years when the Australian men's team hosts South Africa in August. The two T20Is will form part of a top-end tour, with Cairns and Mackay to also host matches across the white-ball formats after Darwin. India will then arrive for five pre-scheduled T20Is and three ODIs, before the men's Ashes begin in Perth on November 21. A day-night Test at the Gabba will follow and the series rounds out in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Women's internationals have also been shunted out of the school holiday window due to India's WPL moving to January. It means Australia will be forced to host India in a multi-format series starting in mid-February, culminating in a day-night Test at the WACA from March 9. The spread of international matches means 11 cities will host matches, with cricket in all states and territories for the first time since 2008/09. "We smashed many records for attendance, viewing audiences and digital engagement last summer," CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement. "We're confident that this incredible momentum will continue throughout what promises to be an engrossing season." The most notable change of all is the gap between the early-season men's white-ball fixtures and Tests. Australia's multi-format players were heavily criticised for sitting out ODIs and T20Is against Pakistan ahead of last summer's Border-Gavaskar Trophy. A 12-day gap exists between Australia's last T20I against India in Brisbane on November 8 and the first Test against England in Perth. CA also expects Australia's players should be free for the second half of the BBL after the men's Ashes and they will likely play finals for the first time since 2019/20. That will allow for a clear run into the end-of-summer men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, with Australia also set to play three T20Is in Pakistan before the tournament.