IPL auction will not be a distraction to Australian players: Pat Cummins

The third and fourth days of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth will clash with the IPL auction, which will take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah. Several Australian players have enrolled for the auction but captain Pat Cummins clarified that it will not distract the players on the field. He noted that all the players in his team have been a part of multiple IPL auctions in the past and they have the experience of dealing with it.

Meanwhile, Australia coach Daniel Vettori will miss the first Test as he has flown to India to prepare for the IPL auction. The former New Zealand international is the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, a franchise that Cummins leads, and speaking on the same, the express pacer stated that Vettori was part of the preparatory camp and him missing a week won’t be an issue for the team.

“Yeah, I think he is there in the auction. I don't think so (it will be a distraction). Dan has flown over there, but he has been here for the whole prep. Done all the meetings, done all the chats, watching it. We came to know that anyway,” Cummins told the press in Perth on the eve of the first Test.

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“So, for the players, I don't think so. Most of these guys have been there in the auctions before. They know they can't really do anything. You are a sitting duck and seeing whether you get selected or not. It doesn't... doesn't make a difference to how we go about the first two days. It is not a distraction as far as I can see it," he added

Former cricketers Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer will not be part of the commentary team in the last four days of the Perth Test. Representing Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants respectively, both will leave Perth after Day 1 of the Test match.