Sun Nov 24 04:53:24 UTC 2024: ## Cricket Commentary Shake-Up: Ponting and Langer to Miss Perth Test for IPL Auction
**Perth, Australia –** Former Australian cricket captains Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer will miss a portion of the first India vs. Australia Test match in Perth due to a scheduling conflict with the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The auction, taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24th and 25th, clashes directly with the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Both Ponting (Punjab Kings head coach) and Langer (Lucknow Super Giants head coach) are crucial to their respective franchises’ auction strategies, particularly in the search for new captains. Ponting expressed his disappointment at the scheduling, calling it “the worst possible case scenario,” as he had anticipated the auction would occur between Test matches. He will commentate on Day 1 in Perth before departing for Jeddah. He hopes to return for the latter stages of the Perth Test or definitively for the Adelaide Test.
Channel Seven, the broadcaster, confirmed that while Ponting and Langer will miss the beginning of the Perth Test, they will rejoin the commentary team for the Adelaide Test, starting December 6th. Seven’s director of sport, Chris Jones, highlighted the value of Ponting and Langer’s IPL experience in providing unique insights into the players. The network emphasized their commitment to providing comprehensive coverage of the series.
First Piper 