Daniel Vettori will temporarily leave Australia’s coaching setup during the first Test against India to fulfill his IPL 2025 auction commitments as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s head coach.
New Delhi: Australia’s bowling coach and former New Zealand cricketer, Daniel Vettori, is reportedly expected to leave midway through the first Test against India in Perth during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This decision stems from his commitments as the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
As per a report from ESPNCricinfo, Vettori will shift his focus to Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League mega-auction. He is expected to play a key role in strengthening the team by aiding in the recruitment of top talent, with the auction set to feature intense competition for the best players from India and around the world.
Vettori occupies a unique position in the cricket world, holding coaching roles with an international team (Australia), an Indian Premier League franchise (Sunrisers Hyderabad), and the Birmingham Phoenix in the UK’s The Hundred.
The New Zealander was appointed as Australia’s full-time bowling coach in 2022, working across all three formats under head coach Andrew McDonald. His valuable contributions to the team led Cricket Australia (CA) to allow him to take on multiple coaching roles in franchise cricket.
“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,” an Australia team spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Cricket Australia (CA) has also posted an advertisement for a new full-time national fast-bowling coach, who could potentially replace Vettori during times when his franchise commitments require his full attention. Michael Hussey and Jim Allenby assisted the current team in preparation for the first Test.
Vettori played a key role in the preparations for the series opener, collaborating with the bowling unit. He used his left-arm orthodox spin to assist the Australian batters in getting ready for Ravindra Jadeja.
This will be the first instance of the former New Zealand cricketer leaving the squad midway through a Test. Prior to last year’s auctions, he was able to fulfill his commitments against Pakistan before heading off to focus on SRH.
Australia will be eager to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as it has been a decade since they last won a Test series against India. The upcoming five-match series on home soil presents an ideal opportunity to seize back the coveted title.
