IPL 2025 auction clashing with Perth Test: Ponting, Finch slam BCCI

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has criticised the BCCI for holding the IPL 2025 auction during the India-Australia first Test for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth.

India and Australia will face off in a five-Test series with the opener beginning on Friday (November 22).

Watch: Can India win 4 Tests in Australia?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), despite knowing the Test series schedule well in advance, has decided to hold the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24, and 25, which will be days three and four of the Perth Test.

The BCCI announced the IPL 2025 auction dates on November 5.

'Worst possible case scenario for me'

The IPL 2025 auction schedule has forced Australia’s Channel Seven to be without their star commentators Ponting and former Australian opener Justin Langer from the second day onwards of the Perth Test. Also, the Australian team will be without their bowling coach Daniel Vettori, the former New Zealand spinner, for the Test.

Also read: IPL 2025 auction full list

Ponting (head coach of Punjab Kings), Langer (Lucknow Super Giants’ head coach) and Vettori (head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad) will be at the IPL 2025 auction tables for their respective franchises.

Commenting on the IPL 2025 auction schedule, Ponting told The Age newspaper in Australia, “It’s the worst possible case scenario for me and J.L. (Langer). 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.”

Back for 2nd Test

He added, “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.”

Further, he stated, “I’m calling the first day (of the Perth Test) then flying out late Friday night (November 22) to Jeddah. The auction is on 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.”

Ponting and Langer, however, will be back for commentary duties for the second Test (day/night) in Adelaide, commencing on December 6.

What Finch said

Also criticising the IPL 2025 schedule was another former Australian batter – Aaron Finch, who said it is “a bit unusual”.

“I just think it’s a bit unusual that they’ve gone up against a Test match at the same time. Understanding the time zones are different, so it'll most likely happen after a day’s play of Test cricket,” Finch, who has previously played in the IPL, said on ESPN’s ‘Around the Wicket’ show on Wednesday.

“But I would have thought (scheduling the IPL auction) maybe between Test matches would have been ideal, but there’s obviously a reason for it. The BCCI, when they want things to happen, they generally get their way,” he added.