Australia is set to play the first Test against India in Perth, but shocking news has emerged ahead of the match. On one hand, legendary captain Ricky Ponting and former cricketer Justin Langer will miss most of the commentary during the Perth Test, while on the other, Australia’s bowling coach Daniel Vettori will not be with the team for the opening game.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy’s first Test. Daniel Vettori, who is the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, will be present for the auction. Notably, Australian team captain Pat Cummins also leads an IPL franchise. Reports suggest that Cricket Australia is already on the lookout for a full-time fast-bowling coach to step in during Vettori’s absences.
In the meantime, Lachlan Stevens from Queensland, who recently coached Australia A against India A and is also the Under-19 team coach, will replace Vettori in Perth. According to Vettori’s deal with Cricket Australia, the former New Zealand captain is required to make himself available only for a specific period each year. This arrangement allows him to work in franchise leagues.
Under this agreement, Vettori balances his role as Australia’s assistant coach with full-time coaching positions in the IPL (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and The Hundred (Birmingham Phoenix). Meanwhile, the Australian team is currently playing a T20 series against Pakistan.