Australia vs West Indies Test Series: Schedule, Teams, and Key Players

Australia heads to the West Indies for a Test series for the first time since 2015 with questions to answer — and dominance to reassert. Dethroned as World Test Champions by an underdog South African team, and beset by questions over their top order, Australia remains a frightening proposition for a team who finds red ball cricket a tough sell for some of its best-known players.

But there are questions too. Marnus Labuschagne has been culled from the team for the first Test after his poor run of form, while Steve Smith is out with a badly busted finger. The top order will have an unfamiliar, youthful look, albeit one anchored by an established name in Usman Khawaja, who has questions over his own form to answer too.

Australia has a good record against the West Indies away from home, winning 21 of the 50 Tests they have played in the Carribean, with 15 draws. The Aussies have held the Frank Worrell Trophy since 1995, undefeated in its last 13 series against the West Indies since 1993.

It's been eight matches and 22 years since the West Indies claimed its last home Test victory over Australia — a three-wicket triumph at the Antigua Recreation Ground off the back of a sublime 123-run fifth-wicket partnership between Ramnaresh Sarwan (105) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (104) that helped the hosts chase down 418 to win.

Of course, the West Indies last victory over Australia in a Test match was far more recent than that. The West Indies' remarkable eight-run win at the Gabba in January 2024 still feels as ephemeral as a dream, an almighty victory against the odds full of the sort of heart and pride that had seemingly been seeping away from West Indian cricket, bled dry by infighting and vulturous franchise competitions.

Former Australian Test player Rodney Hogg was made to eat his words, decrying the tourists as 'pathetic' and 'hopeless', simply providing the inspiration for Kraigg Brathwaite to rouse his troops.

Since that heady Gabba victory the West Indies were brutally hammered by England in three Tests and lost three of their next six matches against South Africa, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the latter two ensuring the series between the two Asian sides were drawn.

In their four home matches since the Australian tour the Windies have recorded just one victory, at North Sound against Bangladesh. A 120-run win over Pakistan in Multan last time out is heartening though, a first victory in Pakistan in 34 years and a player of the series award for Vincentian spinner Jomel Warrican after his final innings 5-27.

Warrican is vice-captain for this series, for which the West Indies have included three potential Test debutants, Jamaican power hitter Brandon King, 24-year-old top order Kevlon Anderson from Guyana, and 21-year-old Barbadian quick Johann Layne.

Gabba hero Shamar Joseph has struggled for wickets of late, claiming figures of 1-78 and 2-40 in West Indies A's seven wicket defeat to South Africa A in Gros Islet at the start of this month.

Where are the Tests, and when? First Test: Bridgetown, Barbados, June 26-30 from midnight (AEST) Second Test: St George's, Grenada, July 4-8 from midnight (AEST) Third Test: Kingston, Jamaica, July 13-17 from 4.30am (AEST)

Australia's tour starts in Bridgetown, Barbados, before shifting to St George's, Grenada and finishing with a day-night Test in Kingston, Jamaica.

The historic, hallowed Barbadian venue of Kensington Oval has hosted Australia in Test matches 11 times since the first meeting in 1955, with Australia winning their last three matches there.

In 1955 it was against the likes of Clyde Walcott, Frank Worrell and Everton Weekes — the famed three Ws — who resisted a powerhouse batting display from Keith Miller (137) and Ray Lindwall (118) as the Aussies made 668 in the first innings of a high-scoring draw.

Australia may have won the last three meetings there, but the West Indies' dramatic one-wicket victory in 1999 still lives long in the memory as one of the all time great clashes in cricket history.

St George's cricket ground in the Windward Island of Grenada has never hosted a Test match featuring Australia — although the Aussies have played seven ODIs here, including during the victorious 2007 World Cup campaign.

However, Kingston's Sabina Park is far more familiar from a Test perspective. Australia has played 11 matches in Jamiaca's most storied venue too, the setting for the infamous 1978 drawn Test.

It was in 1995 though that Australia seemingly turned the tide of world Test cricket dominance from the edge of the Atlantic to the edge of the Pacific, downing Richie Richardson's mighty West Indians.

Coverage in Australia will be on ESPN, the first time the broadcaster has shown cricket on these shores. The ESPN channel is available on Foxtel and Kayo. It is also available on Disney+.

You can also follow coverage all night from all three Tests via the ABC Sport live blog on the ABC Sport website. ABC Sport will be broadcasting every ball of Australia's Test Tour of the West Indies, as indeed will SEN.

Australia's squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

West Indies squad: Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales.