Daniel Vettori to join Sunrisers Hyderabad for IPL auction, to leave Australia coaching duties ahead of BGT 2024-25 1st Test: Reports
Australia's assistant coach Daniel Vettori will reportedly be leaving the camp to join IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) ahead of the 2025 IPL Auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His services will be unavailable during the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.
Vettori has been working with Australia since 2022 and was part of the coaching staff that won the 2023 ICC Men's World Cup in India. The 45-year-old is a head coach in leagues around the world, most notably with Sunrisers Hyderabad, who appointed him back in August 2023. Commitments in T20 cricket across the globe have seen him miss a couple of Australian tours since his appointment.
Ahead of the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 in Perth, Vettori will be flying out to Jeddah to join the Hyderabad-based franchise. A spokesperson of the Australian team said (via ESPNCricinfo):
"We are very supportive of Dan's role as Head Coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Dan will complete the final preparation for the first Test before attending the IPL auction. He will then be with the team for the remainder of the Border Gavaskar Trophy."
Notably, the former Kiwi spinner and current Australian Test skipper, Pat Cummins, share the dressing room in the IPL, with Cummins leading SRH to the final in this year's IPL for the first time since 2018.
2025 IPL Mega Auction to clash with Days 3 and 4 of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 1st Test
Days 3 and 4 of the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, commencing on November 22 at Optus Stadium, Perth, will clash with the IPL Auction, to be held on November 24 and 25 at Abady Al Johar Arena, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Key figures for franchises such as Justin Langer for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Ricky Ponting for Punjab Kings (PBKS) could have a tough time in deciding whether they tend to the IPL duties or their broadcasting responsibilities.