Cricket Australia (CA) has unveiled its schedule for the 2025-26 Ashes series, with a few minor changes in the traditional format. The second Test is to be a day-night game which will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane and Adelaide will host the third Test as a regular day game under a new deal with Cricket Australia to lock in the pre-Christmas slot for the next seven years. Cricket Australia confirmed that the Ashes series will start with the first Test in Perth, from 21-25 November 2025 at Optus Stadium, before visiting Brisbane's Gabba for a day-night affair with the pink ball from December 4-8. Adelaide will host the third Test from December 17-21, this time as a day game before Christmas. The Boxing Day Test is again at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26, followed by the fifth and final Test in Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 4-8, 2026. A reshuffle in the Ashes Test rota was on the cards after CA struck new scheduling agreements with state governments back in August. It is a reflection of how important this venue has become in Test cricket and reflects how successful day-night Tests have been since they were staged there for the first time in 2015. Also Read | Mithali Raj: India 'Saturated' Under Harmanpreet, Needs Leadership Change Adelaide has already played two day-night Ashes Tests, both the second Tests in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 series. However, CA and the government of Southern Australia were willing to keep Adelaide fixture on a holiday considering the popularity of Test from the tourist point of view, hence Adelaide will host the third Test of the series in the Ashes series. Brisbane has hosted three day-night Tests, including the famous win of West Indies that came earlier this year. Under the new schedule, it will be the first time since 1982-83 that the Gabba will not host the first Test in an Ashes series. Perth was the hosting venue for the first Test of that series, with Brisbane hosting the second Test. This shift has some people talking, further still suggesting that the Gabba should be the venue for the first Test of the summer. Among those critics is the former Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson, who said that the Gabba should continue being a series starter. However, the Australian cricket team has allegedly put up with starting their summer campaign in Perth, as it has recorded an impeccable run over the past two summers. Another topic that has been for discussion is the use of the pink ball in the Gabba. Some Australian bowlers have complained that the pink ball did not play to its full strength on the pitch of Gabba compared to the one at Adelaide. They had alleged that the pink ball had the tendency to become soft during the games at the Gabba, causing slow passages in the game at times. Adding to this suspense are the plans for redeveloping the Gabba itself. As the stadium needs to be prepared well for the 2032 Olympics, there's a chance that the 2025-26 Ashes Test may well be the last one played at the Gabba in its current shape. There are no Test matches planned for the Gabba in the 2026-27 season onwards, and the stadium won't be available for use after 2030.