The former Australia pace bowler Glenn McGrath has been excluded from the commentator team of the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC) for the upcoming Ashes 2025‑26 series against England cricket team.
The resignation from the roster came about quite late and required the broadcaster to reshuffle its panel on short notice. McGrath’s departure stems from ABC’s stringent stance on any association with betting companies, leading to an unavoidable change in its commentary line-up.
Specifically, McGrath is involved in a brand campaign for bet365, which conflicts with ABC’s policy. The article notes: “McGrath parted ways with ABC due to the broadcaster’s strict policy on betting affiliations.”
Official Statement and Future Possibilities
ABC issued a formal statement confirming its separation from McGrath for this series, saying: “The ABC and Glenn McGrath have mutually parted ways for this Ashes.”
The statement also hinted at a thaw in relations beyond the current series by adding: “We look forward to seeing Glenn around the grounds throughout the series and would welcome working with him in the future. Our great commentary team … is excited for the first test in Perth this Friday.”
In other words, while the broadcaster is maintaining its policy-based exclusion now, it is open to renewing its relationship with McGrath at some point down the road.
Implications and Panel Refresh
From a broadcast-team perspective, loosing McGrath means ABC had to bring in a replacement for the start of the Ashes. According to reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald, McGrath will be replaced by Tom Moody, who will join a commentary squad that features the likes of Darren Lehmann, Jason Gillespie, Stuart Clark alongside lead commentators Jim Maxwell and Corbin Middlemas.
Additionally, McGrath’s exit underlines how commercial affiliations—especially those involving betting partnerships—have direct consequences for on-air roles in major sporting coverage.
The article also points out that bet365 is a “gold partner” of Cricket Australia, and its branding will appear on boundary rope-padding during the series, which may have furthered the broadcaster’s need to differentiate its own policy boundaries.
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