Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath will no longer be commentating on the 2025–26 Ashes for ABC. The choice was taken in light of his impending business deal with the massive bookmaker Bet365.
Initially confirmed as a member of ABC’s panel for the Ashes, the former pacer has been a frequent figure on their cricket coverage in recent years. However, the network strictly prohibits its news and sports talent from having any affiliations with gambling organisations.
ABC was forced to enforce its regulations after learning from McGrath’s management about his new affiliation with Bet365, a significant commercial player and Cricket Australia’s renowned “gold partner.”
The scandal surrounding former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson, who was also fired by ABC in 2022 for similar betting-related associations, is comparable to this one. Reports state that over a month prior to the Ashes, McGrath’s management contacted the broadcaster to ask questions about the specifics of his planned collaboration. It did not, however, alter ABC’s ruling because the network claimed that any connection to gambling firms was against its corporate rules.
The two parties parted ways amicably.
An ABC representative stated that the two parties parted ways amicably after the talks. After completing McGrath’s departure, ABC changed its lineup, even though his name was still on the commentator roster until a week ago. The network is open to working with him in the future and anticipates seeing him around the grounds throughout the series, the spokesman added, even though he will not be a member of the commentary team.
There were also concerns about his affiliation with Bet365. There was a lot of backlash about the betting company’s ambassador serving as an ABC commentator because its branding was already clearly evident during Ashes broadcasts because of its association with Cricket Australia. Usman Khawaja, an active cricket player from Australia, has criticised the government for not taking swifter action against gambling ads, a move that reflects the growing annoyance of both the public and players.
ABC has reorganised its staff in McGrath’s absence. For the first Test in Perth, former World Cup champion Tom Moody will replace Darren Lehmann, Jason Gillespie, Stuart Clark, Jim Maxwell, and Corbin Middlemas.
India
