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Australia’s Test stars are expected to feature more in the 2025-26 Big Bash League (BBL) than in recent years, raising hopes for one of the best seasons yet.

The BBL will begin on December 14 with Perth Scorchers taking on Sydney Sixers. The 40-game regular season ends on January 18, followed by finals from January 20 to 25.

A key highlight is the rare two-week gap after the Ashes series, which could allow more Test players to join their BBL teams. The fifth Ashes Test ends on January 8, leaving room for participation before the T20 World Cup in February.

Cricket Australia (CA) is optimistic. Head of BBL, Alistair Dobson, called it “as good a year as we’ve had almost ever.” He noted the clear mid-December to late-January window, with games played almost every night. “It adds up to a pretty strong season for us,” he said.

In previous years, tight international schedules limited player availability. This time, CA hopes that select batters and maybe even some bowlers will feature, depending on their recovery. Final decisions lie with CA’s high-performance team and individual players.

Some big names like Mitch Marsh and Jhye Richardson are already confirmed for the Scorchers. Sean Abbott (Sixers), Alex Carey (Strikers), and Beau Webster (Stars) are also playing the full season.

Steve Smith will return for the Sixers’ last three games, including a much-anticipated clash with David Warner’s Thunder on January 17.

However, several Test players are unavailable. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, and Nathan Lyon will miss the entire tournament. Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne will play just one game for the Brisbane Heat.

Ben Oliver, CA's executive general manager of national teams, praised players’ efforts in the demanding Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

He said each player's BBL involvement was decided with recovery and upcoming commitments in mind, including a two-Test series in Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy.

While the season won't include matches on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Australia Day, the current schedule still offers a strong lineup of games and players. With Test stars returning in the final stretch, fans can expect a thrilling finish to the season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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