India, Aug. 13 -- Test cricket returns to Australia's tropical Top End for the first time since 2003 when the hosts face Bangladesh in a two-match series starting Thursday.

The series opener at Marrara Stadium in Darwin marks Bangladesh's first test tour Down Under in over two decades and kicks off a 12-month period of at least 20 test matches for the Aussies, including tours of world test champion South Africa, India and England.

Australia's so-called Big Four bowling attack is set to be reunited in Darwin with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon returning from injuries. Pace bowlers Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and off-spinner Lyon have been the longtime front-line attack for Australia but injuries have limited the fr...