Cricket Australia has unveiled a crowded 2021-22 international schedule, which has the Australian women's team hosting India at the start of the summer.

The men's Test team has a six-Test program featuring England and Afghanistan.

The Australian men will begin their Ashes defence at the Gabba from December 8-12 ahead of a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval from December 16-20.

The traditional Boxing Day and New Years' Tests will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (December 26-30) and Sydney Cricket Ground (January 5-9) respectively, with the final Test scheduled for Perth's Optus Stadium (January 14-18).

But before the Ashes gets under way they'll play an historic first Test against the Afghanistan men's team at Blundstone Arena on November 27.

After the Tests, the New Zealand and Sri Lankan white ball squads will arrive for a combined three One Day Internationals and six Twenty20 Internationals against Australia.

The Black Caps will take on Australia in three One Day Internationals at Perth Stadium (January 30), Blundstone Arena and the SCG (February 2 and 5) for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy followed by one Twenty20 International at Manuka Oval (February 8) in the latest instalment of the trans-Tasman rivalry.

Sri Lanka, the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup champions, will round out the men's international summer with five Twenty20 Internationals against Australia at the SCG (February 11), The Gabba (February 13), Metricon Stadium (February 15), Adelaide Oval (February 18) and the MCG (February 20).

New Zealand have replaced South Africa in the ICC Men's international tour program due to COVID-19 delays in their calendar.

The Women's international summer will start with a series against India, the final venues and dates of which are still being finalised.

The women's international season breaks for the Women's Big Bash League before returning for the Ashes series, to be contested across the three formats of the game.

Manuka Oval will host the stand alone Ashes Test from January 27-30 ahead of the white ball matches.

The three Twenty20 Internationals between Australia and England will be played at North Sydney Oval (February 4 and 6) and Adelaide Oval (February 10), with the series concluding with a three-match One Day International series at Adelaide Oval (February 13) and the Junction Oval (February 16 and 19).

At the conclusion of the series, the Australians will depart for New Zealand to take part in the 2022 ICC World Cup.

Australian Associated Press