Darwin, Aug. 8 -- Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has indicated that difficult decisions may have to be made over the participation of the team's leading Test players in next year's Indian Premier League as the side prepares for an intense international schedule leading into the Ashes.

Australia's 12-month workload includes 20 Tests and 14 white-ball internationals, beginning with the two-Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay. The schedule will eventually take the team through a five-Test tour of India before a five-Test Ashes series in England, according to Cricinfo.

"I know people will start talking about the IPL and filling that time, and what does that look like," McDonald told Cricinfo. "I've said this before, th...