Ashes 2021-22 likely to kick off on December 9 at the Gabba - Reports

The much-awaited Ashes 2021-22 is likely to begin from December 9 at the Gabba in Brisbane, as per The Age. The five-match Test series will be played through until mid-January, with Perth all set to host the finale.

This will be the first time since 1995 that a venue other than Sydney will be hosting the Ashes finale, and this shake-up in schedule has been attributed to a packed international season.

Following the Gabba Test, the series will then head to Adelaide for a day-night encounter. It is to be noted that the Kangaroos have never lost a game in the longest format under the lights in each of the eight instances thus far.

Melbourne and Sydney will host the third and fourth Tests, respectively, and retain their traditional Boxing Day and New Year's fixtures.

The game in Sydney, though, will be played on January 5, allowing players an extra break, given that they'd be playing four Tests in a span of five weeks.

Australia to face Afghanistan in a one-off Test as a prelude for the Ashes

Australia's international season at home will kick off with a solitary Test match against Afghanistan in late November.

The multi-format players who will be coming back from the 2021 T20 World Cup in India are expected to use this game as preparation for the mega-series.

While they'd have ideally preferred to play in the Sheffield Shield, a two-week mandatory quarantine on their return might not allow them to do so.

That would mean that the likes of David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins will not have played a first-class match in eight months by the start of the Test summer, which is a big concern.

Meanwhile, other players that include captain Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon and Cameron Green will have over two months of Sheffield Shield cricket under their belt as the domestic season starts off in September.

These games should allow them to be well-prepared for the all-important Ashes.