Perth will host five matches in January including four home games for the Scorchers while 11 games have been penciled in for Melbourne. Five of these will be held at Marvel Stadium, with six at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"It was a difficult decision for Kane to make but one which has the complete support of the selectors and the entire playing squad," CA national selector Trevor Hohns said on Wednesday.
The move to an evening prime time finals series will take the WBBL to more Australian viewers than ever before in just the tournament's second season in a standalone format, CA hopes.
The 31-year-old has represented England in every format of the game having made his Test debut in 2012. Bairstow was representing SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League
"I'd like to thank my family, my parents Pauline and Jim, and my wife Rhiannon who have supported me through the journey," Ferguson said in a statement.
In Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state, which had the highest number of cases in the country, residents were enjoying the first weekend of cafes, restaurants and pubs reopening to walk-in customers.
Despite the jubilant mood, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews warned those in Melbourne not to rush back to normality, and to continue to abide by social distancing regulations.
"Australia and India represents one of the great rivalries in world sport and we are delighted to welcome Virat Kohli's outstanding squad to Australian shores this summer," CA chief Nick Hockley said.
The ground's public address system played tunes by Elton John and INXS. The memorial service was limited to just 10 attendees by Victoria's ongoing coronavirus lockdown, ESPNCricinfo reported.