After losing the ODI series to Pakistan, the Australian players have made a strong comeback in the T20I series. In the first T20 match, the Aussies beat Pakistan easily by 29 runs. Glenn Maxwell, who came in to bat at number three, played a spectacular knock, scoring 43 runs off just 19 balls.
However, there is some sad news in the Aussie camp. Australia is set to lose a crucial member of their staff midway through the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori, currently the assistant coach of Australia, is expected to leave the Australian dressing room to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction.
Team India Arrives for Australia Tour
The Indian cricket team has reached Australia for their much-anticipated tour. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, consisting of 5 Test matches, will be played between India and Australia. The first match of the series is set to take place in Perth on November 22.
The veteran Kiwi Cricketer is to Miss Perth Test
According to a report in the Australian newspaper The Age, Australia’s assistant coach Daniel Vettori may miss the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth’s Optimus stadium. He will be in Saudi Arabia during the first Test. He plays an important role in the Australian coaching staff, acting as a trusted deputy to head coach Andrew McDonald. That’s why, in this important series, Cummins and his team will miss his tactics to bowl against Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and the other Indian batters.
IPL 2025 Mega Auction Clash
Interestingly, the IPL 2025 mega auction will be held on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This auction could impact the ongoing India-Australia Perth Test match. Due to the timing of the IPL auction, Daniel Vettori will skip the Perth Test due to the IPL 2025 auction. Daniel Vettori is the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad. As such, he will be in Saudi Arabia during the first Test.
Vettori’s Previous IPL Auction Absence
Daniel Vettori missed part of the Pakistan Test series last year when the IPL auction was announced with the series. As of now, no decision has been made on whether Vettori will remain with the team for the Test or leave early for the auction.
Other Legends Also Missed the Perth Test
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting and his longtime teammate Justin Langer will also be absent from the commentary box during the first Test in Perth due to the IPL mega auction. Channel 7 will not have their services for parts of the Perth Test match due to scheduling conflicts. Ponting, recently appointed head coach of Punjab Kings, and Langer, the current head coach of Lucknow Super Giants, are both committed to IPL duties.
IPL 2025 Auction: A Record Number of Players
A total of 1,574 players have registered for the IPL 2025 auction, including 320 capped players and 1,224 uncapped players from 14 countries. Among them are 76 Australian players, including stars like David Warner, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell. Vettori’s Sunrisers already have two Australian Test stalwarts retained: Pat Cummins and Travis Head, along with Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. SRH will head into the auction with a purse of INR 45 crore.