The 125th edition of the Sheffield Shield gets underway on October 7 with Victoria hosting defending champions South Australia at Melbourne's Junction Oval.

It is a rematch of last season's final, which South Australia won to claim back-to-back titles. Victoria will be eager for revenge at home.

Two more matches begin on October 8. New South Wales face Tasmania at Cricket Central in Sydney, while Western Australia take on Queensland at the WACA Ground in Perth.

Six teams are taking part in a double round-robin format. Each side plays 10 matches, and the top two qualify for the five-day final from March 25 to 29, 2027.

The season has some new rules. The afternoon session has been extended to two hours and 15 minutes, while the evening session is shorter. Curators have been asked to prepare batter-friendly pitches.

Big names are in action. Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Scott Boland are among the Test stars playing, alongside young talents like Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Every match will be streamed live on Kayo Sports and cricket.com.au. One match per round will also be shown on Fox Cricket.