‘Worst possible scenario’: Channel Seven forced into commentary shake-up before first Test

Australian Test greats Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer are prioritising their IPL commitments over their commentary roles with Channel Seven for the first Test in Perth, and Australia will be without an important coach.

Seven has confirmed it will be without star commentators Ponting and Langer for all but the first day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener so the pair can attend the IPL’s mega player auction in Saudi Arabia. Ponting described the situation as “the worst possible case scenario”.

Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer will only call one day of the first Test.Credit: Getty Images

In the latest example of India’s influence over world cricket, Cricket Australia confirmed bowling coach Daniel Vettori would miss the game entirely. All three are head coaches of franchises in the world’s richest Twenty20 competition.

That international cricket’s latest club versus country battle has emerged in one of the game’s biggest Test series raises further questions over who really controls the sport. In this instance, CA and Seven, which is in a $1.5 billion TV deal with Foxtel, have lost out to powerful cricket authorities in India.

In Vettori’s case, Australia must do without an assistant coach so he can perform duties for an Indian domestic Twenty20 franchise while the national team is playing India, a team the Australians last defeated in a series 10 years ago.

The auction in Jeddah will be held on days three and four of the first Test, almost immediately after play, in a move that will maximise TV audiences in India.

Bowling coach Daniel Vettori will miss the whole Test.Credit: AP

Disney Star has the rights to both the Test series and the IPL auction in India and will run one after the other the same way CA use Tests and BBL games in December January.

Ponting touched upon the commercial realities behind the schedule clash, saying he had initially believed the auction would be held in the nine days between the first and second Tests.

“It’s the worst possible case scenario for me and J.L. [Langer],” Ponting told this masthead. “We for the last couple of months felt that it was probably going to be in the gap between the Test matches. It takes all the pressure off the players from both teams. There are a lot of players in both teams in the auction.

“So I always thought it would have been in that gap because it just seemed better for everybody. But I don’t know why they’ve chosen the dates they have – it might have something to do with the game. The auction actually starts on air almost immediately after the end of play. So it might be something to do with broadcast.

“I’m calling the first day then flying out late Friday night to Jeddah. The auction is the 24th and 25th, and then depending on how we’re going through our auction, we’ll see when I can return. Hopefully, I’ll get back for the end of Perth, and if not I’ll be back on deck for the start of Adelaide.”

Seven confirmed Ponting and Langer would be back for the day/night Test in Adelaide, starting December 6.

“The IPL auction involves the world’s best coaches and analysts in the game, and we are privileged enough to have two of them on our broadcast all summer long,” Seven’s director of sport Chris Jones said.

“Alongside Sunil Gavaskar, who knows the travelling side better than anyone, both Ricky and Justin are uniquely placed as IPL coaches to bring unrivalled insights to viewers about the Indian and Australian players, which further strengthens our live and free coverage.

“We look forward to welcoming both Ricky and Justin back for the Adelaide Test from Friday, 6 December, where they will share all the action from behind the scenes at one of international cricket’s biggest events.”

Vettori will be with the team to finish preparations for the first Test. CA has brought in the head of Australia’s under-19 men’s program, Lachlan Stevens, while head coach Andrew McDonald, formerly a bowling coach, could also take over Vettori’s portfolio.

Test great Michael Hussey and former county all-rounder Jim Allenby are with the team until Thursday.

“We are very supportive of Dan’s role as head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad,” CA said in a statement.

“Dan will complete final preparation for the first Test before attending the IPL auction. He will then be with the team for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”

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