Summer of Cricket on Seven heats up
Border-Gavaskar Trophy headlines a huge Summer of Cricket on Seven and 7plus
Cricket’s #1 commentary team is primed and ready as the Seven Network’s Summer of Cricket heats up with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy arriving on home-soil next Friday, 22 November live and free on Seven and – for the first time – streaming live and free on 7plus Sport.
With an unbeatable lineup of new signings to the Seven cricket commentary team for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Big Bash League, Australia v India Women’s One Day International Series and the Women’s Ashes Series, Seven has brought together the biggest and best names in world cricket, led by the most famous name in Indian cricket, Sunil Gavaskar.
Returning to cricket’s #1 commentary team for the Test Series named in his honour, Gavaskar will feature in all five Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Joining him throughout the Series will be a who’s who of Australian cricket greats, including cricket’s most astute caller Ricky Ponting, former Australian coach Justin Langer, and fellow Australian champion batsman Matthew Hayden.
Also returning to Seven’s unbeatable cricket line-up is former Australian ODI and T20I captain Aaron Finch, who will feature on the first two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth and Adelaide and the 2024-25 Big Bash League (BBL) season.
Current Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc will join the commentary team for Seven’s Women’s Ashes coverage for white ball matches, starting at North Sydney Oval on 12 January on Seven and 7plus Sport, while former English cricketer and current media star, Alexandra Hartley joins cricket’s #1 commentary team for the entire Ashes Series.
Rounding out Seven’s new signings is Rachel Khawaja, who will join Seven’s Australia v India Test Series coverage, connecting viewers with the people closest to the Australian cricket teams’ players – their families.
Across an action-packed summer with an electrifying BBL season, Test Series, Women’s International Series and the Women’s Ashes that will have fans on the edge of their seats, these big names are just the start of Seven’s formidable on-air line-up.
A procession of former on-field stars will also return to Seven’s cricket team as expert commentators (alongside Ponting, Langer, Hayden, Gavaskar, Finch and Hartley) including Greg Blewett, Lisa Sthalekar, Trent Copeland, Callum Ferguson, Holly Ferling, Damien Fleming, Brad Hodge, Simon Katich, Katey Martin, Kirby Short and Elyse Villani.
Leading Seven sport presenters James Brayshaw and Mel McLaughlin will also return to Seven’s coverage, alongside resident callers Alister Nicholson, Tim Lane, Alison Mitchell, Andy Maher and Jason Richardson, with hosts Erin Holland and Emma Freedman joining them from boundary side.
Current stars Chris Green, Glenn Maxwell and Sam Billings will be regulars on Seven’s live and free BBL coverage, while 7NEWS sport reporters Theo Doropoulos and Anna Hay will feature in their local states.
In another exciting announcement for viewers, five-time ICC Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel also returns to the Seven team to share his critical knowledge of the rules of the game, while respected cricket journalists Peter Lalor and Bharat Sundaresan will be on deck to report the biggest breaking news stories of each day’s play.
It all starts on Friday, 22 November when India face Australia at Perth Stadium for the West Test from 12.30pm AEDT live and free on Channel 7 and 7plus Sport.
Seven Network Director of Sport, Chris Jones, said: “Seven’s Summer of Cricket is already off to a cracking start, with the WBBL getting closer to the all-important Final on Sunday, 1 December after a spectacular start to the season.
“As we await the start of the greatest Test rivalry between two giants of world cricket, a fiery Big Bash League season, a Women’s International Series against India, and a Women’s Ashes on home soil, this Summer of Cricket will be better than ever – and Seven has assembled a world-class commentary team to match,” he said.
“With Ricky Ponting at the helm of Seven’s commentary – paired with Sunil Gavaskar, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Starc, Alex Hartley and Rachel Khawaja – we couldn’t think of a stronger lineup of experts to deliver the greatest Summer in recent history on Seven and 7plus Sport.
“For our first Summer of Cricket on 7plus Sport, Seven has introduced two distinct alternative commentaries: the first is Hindi commentary for all Australia vs India Test matches, making the game more accessible than ever before,” Mr Jones said.
“The second alternative commentary will be from The Grade Cricketer and will cover a selection of BBL matches, with a funny and light-hearted take on the games.
“There is something for everyone this summer and you can see it all live and free, on Seven and, for the first time, 7plus Sport.”
Seven Network Head of Cricket, Joel Starcevic, said: “As we embark on an incredible five- test series between two international giants of cricket, it’s hard to ignore the fact that it may be our last time to watch this generation of cricketers square off against each other on Australian soil.
“Sharma, Kohli, Ashwin, Smith, Lyon and Khawaja – the rockstars of world cricket, heading toward the twilight of their careers, all on the biggest stage for a five-test Series like no other. It doesn’t get much bigger than that,” he said.
“With the WBBL Final a little over two weeks away, before a fiery men’s BBL 14 kicks off on Sunday, 15 December, Seven’s team is on deck to deliver every big hit, spectacular catch, and unforgettable moment straight to your living room live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport all summer long.
“Then, from Thursday, 5 December, our nation’s most loved team – the Australian women’s cricket team – embark on a three-match ODI Series against India, before the ultimate test, a home Ashes Series in some of the country’s biggest and most iconic stadiums from Sunday, 12 January 2025,” Mr Starcevic said.
“With world-class quality cricket, analysis and commentary for the next 11 weeks, there’s nowhere else to be this summer than right here on Seven and 7plus Sport.”
It all starts on Friday, 22 November when India face Australia at Perth Stadium for the West Test from 12.30pm AEDT live and free on Channel 7 and 7plus Sport.
