Cricket and Australia Day used to go hand in hand—so why are matches disappearing now?
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Public holidays and sport often go hand in hand—but what happens when a major event disappears from the calendar?
A quiet change has sparked questions, frustration, and debate among fans, players, and commentators alike.
What led to this surprising decision, and why does it strike such a nerve?
Public holidays and cricket usually go hand in hand—but come 2026, fans were set for a surprise.
Despite assurances from Cricket Australia that Australia Day would continue to be acknowledged and celebrated through the sport, there would be no matches held on 26 January 2026.
This marked the second year in a row that cricket authorities backed away from scheduling any fixtures on the national holiday.
This decision followed a period of intense debate and division within the sport—both from within the players’ ranks and the wider public.
Cricket Australia had long grappled with how to approach the date, particularly after banning the use of the phrase ‘Australia Day’ four years earlier. The move was already controversial at the time, and the continued avoidance of official recognition had only intensified the discussion.
The 2024 Test match, held over the Australia Day weekend, proved especially contentious. All-rounder Ash Gardner, who has Indigenous heritage, voiced her discomfort with playing on the date, calling it a day of ‘hurt and mourning’.
Her views received support from high-profile figures, including Test captain Pat Cummins and veteran batter Steve Smith. Both stated that 26 January was not an appropriate time to celebrate the national holiday.
Smith said his stance came after speaking with teammate Scott Boland, who is also of Indigenous background.
The absence of cricket on Australia Day in 2025 had been explained as a scheduling necessity, due to its overlap with the Australian Open tennis. But that wouldn’t be the case in 2026—raising questions about the true motivation behind the silence on the summer staple.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg added to the confusion when, in late 2024, he declared that the sport would be played on Australia Day going forward. So when the fixture list for 2026 revealed no such plans, many were left scratching their heads.
The move also reignited tensions among those who believed the holiday should be marked proudly. Former Test player Greg Ritchie was among the critics, saying: ‘I am quite disappointed to read the Cricket Australia has decided not to use the phrase "Australia Day" for this Test match. It will be at the Gabba, which is my home ground, and to have an Australia Day Test there is special.’
Public backlash followed, particularly towards players like Cummins who supported distancing the sport from the holiday.
‘He makes me angry,’ said 3AW Morning host Tom Elliott.
‘He sits there and pontificates, saying "ah, well Australia Day is a source of hurt for so many people, we have to move the date".
‘Hey Pat Cummins, you get paid millions of dollars to play cricket. If it wasn’t for the British settlement of Australia there wouldn’t be cricket here.
‘So you make money, quite directly, out of the fact we were colonised by the UK.’
‘Then you sit there criticising the whole thing. He is just an out-and-out hypocrite.
As the country continued to reckon with the significance of 26 January, the game found itself at the centre of a much bigger conversation—one that stretched far beyond the pitch.
With cricket stepping away from Australia Day for another year, do you think traditions are being lost—or simply evolving with the times? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
In another recent story, we looked at the fallout from a tragic incident during a cricket match that left many questioning the media’s response.
For those of us who’ve grown up with cricket as a summer staple, seeing how it's reported today can be both confronting and frustrating.
If you missed it, that piece is well worth a read too.
Read more: ‘What world are we actually living in?’: Broadcasters slammed after tragic cricket match death
A quiet change has sparked questions, frustration, and debate among fans, players, and commentators alike.
What led to this surprising decision, and why does it strike such a nerve?
Public holidays and cricket usually go hand in hand—but come 2026, fans were set for a surprise.
Despite assurances from Cricket Australia that Australia Day would continue to be acknowledged and celebrated through the sport, there would be no matches held on 26 January 2026.
This marked the second year in a row that cricket authorities backed away from scheduling any fixtures on the national holiday.
Cricket Australia skips Australia Day again in 2026. Image source: Instagram/cricketaustralia
This decision followed a period of intense debate and division within the sport—both from within the players’ ranks and the wider public.
Cricket Australia had long grappled with how to approach the date, particularly after banning the use of the phrase ‘Australia Day’ four years earlier. The move was already controversial at the time, and the continued avoidance of official recognition had only intensified the discussion.
The 2024 Test match, held over the Australia Day weekend, proved especially contentious. All-rounder Ash Gardner, who has Indigenous heritage, voiced her discomfort with playing on the date, calling it a day of ‘hurt and mourning’.
Her views received support from high-profile figures, including Test captain Pat Cummins and veteran batter Steve Smith. Both stated that 26 January was not an appropriate time to celebrate the national holiday.
Smith said his stance came after speaking with teammate Scott Boland, who is also of Indigenous background.
The absence of cricket on Australia Day in 2025 had been explained as a scheduling necessity, due to its overlap with the Australian Open tennis. But that wouldn’t be the case in 2026—raising questions about the true motivation behind the silence on the summer staple.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg added to the confusion when, in late 2024, he declared that the sport would be played on Australia Day going forward. So when the fixture list for 2026 revealed no such plans, many were left scratching their heads.
The move also reignited tensions among those who believed the holiday should be marked proudly. Former Test player Greg Ritchie was among the critics, saying: ‘I am quite disappointed to read the Cricket Australia has decided not to use the phrase "Australia Day" for this Test match. It will be at the Gabba, which is my home ground, and to have an Australia Day Test there is special.’
Public backlash followed, particularly towards players like Cummins who supported distancing the sport from the holiday.
‘He makes me angry,’ said 3AW Morning host Tom Elliott.
‘He sits there and pontificates, saying "ah, well Australia Day is a source of hurt for so many people, we have to move the date".
‘Hey Pat Cummins, you get paid millions of dollars to play cricket. If it wasn’t for the British settlement of Australia there wouldn’t be cricket here.
‘So you make money, quite directly, out of the fact we were colonised by the UK.’
‘Then you sit there criticising the whole thing. He is just an out-and-out hypocrite.
As the country continued to reckon with the significance of 26 January, the game found itself at the centre of a much bigger conversation—one that stretched far beyond the pitch.
With cricket stepping away from Australia Day for another year, do you think traditions are being lost—or simply evolving with the times? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
In another recent story, we looked at the fallout from a tragic incident during a cricket match that left many questioning the media’s response.
For those of us who’ve grown up with cricket as a summer staple, seeing how it's reported today can be both confronting and frustrating.
If you missed it, that piece is well worth a read too.
Read more: ‘What world are we actually living in?’: Broadcasters slammed after tragic cricket match death
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