‘They’re tough and uncompromising when they play against Australia’ - Ex-Australian pacer backs intense Test summer against New Zealand

Former Australian cricketer Merv Hughes has made a bold claim that New Zealand, rather than India, will be the toughest challenge for Australia’s men’s Test side, pointing to the packed 2026-27 summer schedule as evidence. Australia are set for a demanding 11-month stretch featuring 21 Tests, starting in August, along with a busy home summer that also includes five T20Is against England in a condensed window, leaving limited recovery time for players.

Hughes believes New Zealand bring a unique intensity and resilience against Australia, producing a level of competitive cricket that he feels they do not consistently replicate against other opponents.

"They're tough and uncompromising when they play against Australia. You have a look at them against other countries and they don't seem to have that tenacity. But against Australia... So four Test series this summer, it's going to be massive and we're going to see some bloody good cricket,” said Hughes as quoted by Cricket News.

Hughes believes this summer will be no different for New Zealand, despite their relatively small population compared to other top cricketing nations. Australia, however, have historically held a strong upper hand, winning 36 of the 62 Test matches between the two sides, while New Zealand have managed only eight victories.

"They come across the ditch, and they play against Australia as though we're the big brother. So it's almost as though we play most countries and you think, 'Oh, New Zealand coming up,' like you start rubbing your hands and they're the toughest opponents. They come out and they punch above their weight, the population that they have,” said Hughes.

Originally, New Zealand’s tour was scheduled to feature only three Tests. However, a fourth match has now been added to commemorate the 150th Test between the two sides. As a result, four Tests will now be compressed into a period that would typically host just three matches, leaving two four-day gaps and one three-day turnaround between fixtures.

To ease the scheduling squeeze, the opening Test in Perth has been moved to a Wednesday start instead of the usual Thursday, while the traditional New Year Test in Sydney will run from Monday to Friday.