Former coach and Test opener Justin Langer has moved into the commentary box for Seven's free-to-air coverage of Test and BBL cricket this summer
Ex-coach Langer joins Seven commentary team
Justin Langer will join Seven's commentary team for the coming summer of cricket, the free-to-air broadcaster has announced.
Langer will join his former teammate and close friend Ricky Ponting in the commentary team at Seven and will "play a key on-air role".
He is expected to be commentating on Australia's Test matches against West Indies and South Africa, as well as the network's coverage of the KFC BBL, a competition he won three times as coach of the Perth Scorchers.
Langer had coached the Australian men's team from 2018 until earlier this year when he resigned the post after being offered a short-term contract extension.
His relationship with the players still in the national side will add intrigue to his insights and analysis from behind the microphone this summer.
"Test cricket has been a part of my life since I was a little kid. Having been fortunate to have played and coached in the Test arena, I am now delighted to be given the opportunity to commentate on the game I love, with a great company and team at Seven," Langer said in a statement released by Seven.
"The BBL was also a pivotal part of my life, so I am excited to be involved again this summer."
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, in Birmingham to watch Australia's women's team at the Commonwealth Games after last week's ICC Board meeting, welcomed the appointment.
"I'm sure Justin will do an excellent job as part of the Seven commentary team and we wish him the best of luck in the new role."
Australia's Test summer begins with the Perth Stadium clash against the West Indies from November 30.
Langer's move into the media comes after he was closely linked with a return to coaching at the Hurricanes.
Ponting, the Hurricanes' head of strategy, had alluded to Langer's commentary move last week when confirming Langer had rebuffed his offer to coach the club, with Tigers coach and former Australia assistant coach Jeff Vaughan to take the BBL role.
"I'm on record saying that I’ve spoken with Justin quite a bit about coming down here and being the head coach of the Hurricanes and he was quite keen," Ponting said last week.
"The initial conversations were pretty exciting ... I’m not hiding from the fact that I spoke to him, I spoke to him a lot about it and I think everyone around Australian cricket circles knew that I was trying to get him down here for the Hurricanes but it wasn’t to be."
Langer is one of Australia's greatest Test openers, with a 105-Test career that spanned 14 years between 1993 and 2007, and which yielded 7,696 runs, including 23 centuries, at 45.27.
The 5,655 runs he put on in partnership with Matthew Hayden while opening the batting is the second most in the history of the game.
2022-23 Australian home international schedule
(all times local)
Men's Dettol ODI Series v Zimbabwe
Sunday Aug 28: Riverway Stadium, Townsville, 9:40am
Wednesday Aug 31: Riverway Stadium, Townsville, 9:40am
Saturday Sep 3: Riverway Stadium, Townsville, 9:40am
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Men's Dettol ODI Series v New Zealand
Tuesday, Sep 6: Cazaly Stadium, Cairns, 2:20pm
Thursday, Sep 8: Cazaly Stadium, Cairns, 2:20pm
Sunday Sep 11: Cazaly Stadium, Cairns, 2:20pm
Buy #AUSvNZ tickets here
Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies
Wednesday Oct 5: Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast, 6:10pm
Friday Oct 7: The Gabba, Brisbane, 6:10pm
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Men's Dettol T20I Series v England
Sunday Oct 9: Perth Stadium, 5.10pm
Wednesday Oct 12: Manuka Oval, Canberra 6:40pm
Friday Oct 14: Manuka Oval, Canberra 6:40pm
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ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Oct 16-21: Group stage
Oct 22-Nov 6: Super 12 stage
Australia's T20 World Cup 2022 fixtures
Oct 22: v New Zealand, SCG, 6pm AEDT
Oct 25: v A1, Optus Stadium, 10pm AEDT
Oct 28: v England, MCG, 7pm AEDT
Oct 31: v B2, Gabba, 7pm AEDT
Nov 4: v Afghanistan, Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT
Wed-Thurs Nov 9-10: Semi-finals, SCG & Adelaide Oval
Sunday Nov 13: final, MCG, 7pm
Buy T20 World Cup tickets here
Men's Dettol ODI Series v England
Thursday Nov 17: Adelaide Oval, 1:50pm
Saturday Nov 19: SCG, 2:20pm
Tuesday Nov 22: MCG, 2:20pm
Buy #AUSvENG ODI tickets here
Men's Vodafone Test Series v West Indies
Nov 30 – Dec 4: First Test, Perth Stadium, 10:20am
Dec 8-12: Second Test, Adelaide Oval, 2:30pm
Buy #AUSvWI Test tickets here
Men's Vodafone Test Series v South Africa
Dec 17-21: First Test, the Gabba, 10:20am
Dec 26-30: Second Test, MCG, 10:30am
Jan 4-8: Third Test, SCG, 10:30am
Buy #AUSvSA Test tickets here
Women's CommBank ODI Series v Pakistan
Monday Jan 16: Allan Border Field, Brisbane 10:05am
Wednesday Jan 18: Allan Border Field, Brisbane 10:05am
Saturday Jan 21: North Sydney Oval, 10:05am
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Women's CommBank T20I Series v Pakistan
Tuesday Jan 24: North Sydney Oval, 1:45pm
Thursday Jan 26: Blundstone Arena, Hobart, 7:05pm
Sunday Jan 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 1:45pm
Buy #AUSvPAK T20 tickets here