- Ricky Ponting forced out of commentary at ‘worst possible’ time
- Ponting is in Saudi Arabia for blockbuster IPL mega auction
- Test great will be back to do commentary for second Test
Sunday night’s blockbuster IPL auction has robbed Aussie cricket fans of Ricky Ponting’s commentary, right in the middle of the first Test against India.
The Aussie cricket legend has arrived in Saudi Arabia for Sunday night’s IPL mega auction, which has forced him out of the commentary box.
Ponting and Justin Langer have found themselves at the heart of a clash of commitments, due to their roles with IPL sides the Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
Both Ponting and Langer are held in high esteem as two of the best cricket pundits in Australia.
Channel Seven recently renewed the ex-Australia captain’s contract with the network. It is understood that he recently signed a new deal to extend his contract with the network.
Ponting, the new head coach of the Punjab Kings, last year departed on day three of the first Test in order to make it to the IPL auction.
‘It’s the worst possible case scenario for me and J.L. [Langer],’ Ponting told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘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.’
When asked if the timing of the auction was simply rude, Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley diplomatically replied: ‘I think it’s not ideal.
‘I think if you spoke to our broadcast partners who have commentators who are also IPL coaches, they would also say it’s not ideal.
‘But that’s out of our hands.
‘I know certainly our players here will be fully focused here, and it will be something to think and talk about after the Test match.’
A total of 37 Australians have thrown their hat into the ring for the lucrative mega auction, including Test stars Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Alex Carey and Mitch Marsh.
Indian stars such as KL Rahul, Ravi Ashwin and Rishabh Pant are also up for grabs.
Mega auctions are only held every three or four years in the IPL.
