AUS vs IND: Indian cricket team will again tour Australia in 2025. According to the itinerary issued by Cricket Australia, Team India will have three One-Day International (ODI) matches and five T20 matches in Australia in October-November. But the real test of this tour won’t simply be playing the strong Australian team—it will also be resisting the fatigue caused by perpetual travel. Going by the tour calendar, Indian cricketers are going to travel a whopping 22,500 kilometers in merely 24 days.
Fitness Issues During Tour
The 20-day tour will involve the Indian team playing eight games in two formats. Including traveling time, the whole trip will last for at least 24 days. Normally, the Indian team leaves Mumbai for overseas tours, and on this occasion as well, they will start their tour from there. Perth is the first destination, which is approximately 7,300 kilometers from Mumbai.
11 cities. 26 matches. Three visiting nations up for the challenge.
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) March 30, 2025
Cricket is everywhere this summer. And you need to see it! pic.twitter.com/FZOm1PGj0X
As part of their 20-day Australian visit, Team India will be playing in six cities. Interestingly, even though the tour consists of two series (ODIs and T20s), only one match would be held in Melbourne and Sydney. The MCG, the biggest cricket stadium in Australia located in Melbourne, would not see a One-Day match during this tour.
| Match No | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| First ODI | October 19 | Perth |
| Second ODI | October 23 | Adelaide |
| Third ODI | October 25 | Sydney |
Interestingly, there will not be a One-Day match in the city of Melbourne.
The first ODI will be played in Perth on October 19, a western Australian city. The time difference in Perth with other Australian cities may prove to be difficult for the players. The team has only three days after this match for their second match in Adelaide, involving a travel of 3,100 kilometers within a period of approximately three and a half hours. Then the team will head from Adelaide to Sydney for the third ODI, with little time for practice or rest. This leg of the tour will be 1,400 kilometers in a mere one to one and a half hours of travel.
No Breaks During T20I Series
Following the ODI series, players might return to India, but most will remain for the T20 series that begins in Canberra. The inaugural T20 is on October 29. Then the players travel long distances without much time in between for relaxation or practice.
| Match No | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| First T20 | October 29 | Canberra |
| Second T20 | October 31 | Melbourne |
| Third T20 | November 2 | Hobart |
| Fourth T20 | November 6 | Gold Coast |
| Fifth T20 | November 8 | Brisbane |
The distances between venues to travel are far as the team will travel from Canberra to Melbourne (660 kilometers), and from Melbourne to Hobart (600 kilometers) for T20 number three. The fourth T20 will be hosted in Gold Coast, which calls for a 1,800-kilometer travel from Hobart. Finally, the team will only travel 80 kilometers from Gold Coast to Brisbane for the last game of the series.
Battle Against Fatigue
The close timing for the T20 series brings in a specific challenge, where there is just one day off between certain games and not much rest or practice. The toughest time will be November 2 to November 6, when the players will get minimal opportunity to rest or practice. The tour’s latter end will also see a lengthy 10,048-kilometer journey from Brisbane to Mumbai that will definitely drain the players.
Adjusting To New Circumstances
In this high-intensity tour, Team India will be switching to new cities and grounds nearly every two days. The cricketers will have to face perpetual travel, limited rest time, and new conditions at each ground. The biggest question of all is: how will Team India cope with the fatigue and stress of such a grueling itinerary? Cricket Australia has plotted this tour very meticulously, but it will still be a test of stamina for the Indian team.
