Fox Sports’ Mark Howard roasted by co-hosts after landing IPL gig

Fox Sports football and cricket commentator Mark Howard has landed a plush new job, but his AFL co-hosts haven’t let him go too easy.

Mark Howard is heading to India. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Fox Sports AFL and cricket commentator Mark Howard is taking his talents to India.

Howard, who calls both sports for both Fox Footy and Triple M revealed he had accepted an opportunity to commentate the Indian Premier League.

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But when he revealed he was heading to the glamorous T20I competition in the middle of the AFL season, his Triple M co-workers weren’t about to let him go that easily, giving him grilling on air during their Friday show The Huddle.

After roasting Howard as “The next Richie Benaud” as the voice of Australian cricket, the attention moved to his new job.

Howie’s moving up in the world. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Dunstall: “Have you been picked up for the next IPL?”

Howard: “Are you going to twist this?”

Dunstall: “Yes or no?”

Howard: “Yes.”

Dunstall: “Does the fact that you’re taking off mean you’re missing some Huddles? Multiple Huddles?”

Howard: “Yes.”

Dunstall: “He is taking the money to go to the IPL and torching us! How do you explain that Mark.”

Howard: “I was privileged to be asked to go to the IPL for an extended period of time and our fantastic boss at Fox Cricket Steve Crawley said I think it’s a good opportunity. Just a short little stint in India which I’m tremendously looking forward to.”

Dunstall: “Existing contracts weren’t higher on the priority? Whichever one pays more you take?

Howard: “I asked the boss and he thought it was a great opportunity for me. And it’ll be broadcast on Fox Cricket.”

Dunstall: “What did the boss of Triple M Footy say. Did you ask him or tell him?”

Howard: “I asked him. How can you turn this into negative? I’ve been asked to commentate on the biggest cricket tournament in the world.”

Dunstall: “Because you’re burning us.”

Fox Cricket commentary team. Mark Howard. Supplied by Foxtel

They were hilarious scenes as Howard turned the attention away from himself.

But it found its way back as the attention turned back to a film clip from a BBL match where Howard called a six, only for it be caught well inside the boundary because it was a match Fox called from the studio.

Howard is also one of Australia’s most successful podcasters, with his Howie Games podcast generating a reported 750,000 downloads a month.