Adam Gilchrist says backing the 20-20 vision of Ricky Ponting as a pundit is no punt at all

NOW the Ashes are safe, two of Australia's biggest names are preparing for a slightly nervous debut.

NOW that the Ashes have been safely tucked away inside four weeks, two of Australia's biggest names are preparing for a slightly nervous debut.

Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist are the marquee signings of an otherwise largely familiar commentary team, which will take the Twenty20 Big Bash League free to air for the first time on Network 10 on Friday night.

While Gilchrist has been a guest commentator for Nine in the past, Ponting has had little experience from the other side of the fence.

"I expect the viewers will find Punter's (Ponting's) commentary and his whole presence in the broadcast really enjoyable," Gilchrist said.

"His insight into the game is as good as any. His tactical mind as a captain and one of our greatest ever players will transfer into the commentary box, and I think you'll see his analysis of situations will be as sharp as anyone's and he won't need a replay to make his mind up.

"We've already had a couple of production days, and even knowing him as I do - either out on the field or in the change rooms - he's just so quick to assess the situation and pull a point of view on it.

"I might need a replay or a bit of time to digest it.

"I also think the public will enjoy getting to see his personality a little bit more.

"As Australian captain it's hard to let your true personality come out, such is the scrutiny and focus on you.

"The public will get to know Ricky in more depth and that will be good fun."

The Melbourne Derby between the Stars and the Renegades at the MCG in front of what could be a record BBL crowd of 50,000 tomorrow night will be followed on Saturday night by the Sydney Derby between the Sixers and Thunders at the SCG, with Steve Smith and Dave Warner opposing each other.

Gilchrist believes the enormous viewer interest on Channel Nine in Australia's spectacular and unexpected regaining of the Ashes will rub off on the BBL, which will attract unprecedented viewer numbers after being on Fox since its inception.

"The Big Bash going free to air surely has to be a great thing to expose the game to more people, a wider viewership than what pay television has been able to," said Gilchrist, who praised the outstanding job Fox did with the competition.

"The success of the Ashes is only going to enhance the interest in cricket, so that's a good news for cricket and cricket broadcasters in general."

There is an irony in Gilchrist and Ponting being the big-named players in the new 20-million-dollar-a-year foray into cricket for Channel 10, with both originally being sceptical about the value of Twenty20 cricket.

"I was a reluctant starter," Gilchrist recalled yesterday. "It was great fun but it felt like a festival game and I had my doubts about its legitimacy, about it being taken seriously as a respected format of the game.

"During the past six or seven years, particularly with my participation in the IPL, I've come to realise it's a fantastic product that cricket has for a whole host of reasons.

"Children, mums, sisters, daughters, a whole range of people are being enticed to watch cricket for the first time, which can lead to them eventually watching Test cricket."

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Adam Gilchrist claimed the money raised from the BBL was also vital to help attract and develop the next generation of cricketers.

"As a revenue provider for broader cricket programs from the grass roots up it's a vital commercial element to cricket's make-up,'' he said.

"Coupled with one-day and Test cricket, I am now of the belief that all three formats can survive if they're well administered, which means not playing too much of any of them.

"That's a challenge for administrators because scheduling is not easy."

LOVE A WINNER

Australia's spectacular and surprising success has created some unprecedented numbers for Channel Nine, with over 9.6 million people watching the coverage over the past Three Tests.

This means that almost two thirds of the population have been watching Test cricket at some stage over the past few weeks.

The just completed Third Test had almost double the interest of the Third Test last year, when Australia was playing South Africa for top place on the world rankings, and almost a third better than the Third Test of the last Ashes in 2010.

With the showpiece Tests of Melbourne and Sydney to come from Boxing Day and early in the new year this series already boasts four of the top ten sessions of all time for television audiences of Test Cricket in Australia.

HOW DO YOU THINK PONTING WILL FARE IN THE COMMENTARY BOX? HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW.