Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is expected to sign a deal with the Seven Network to be the face of their cricket coverage.

The deal suggests the 43-year-old is planning to take on a commentary role over a coaching position, after being talked about as a potential coach of Australia’s Twenty20 side following the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.

Australian cricket underwent its biggest media shake-up in 40 years in April when Fox Sports and Seven signed a joint $1.182 billion broadcast deal to win the broadcasting rights from the Nine Network.

The two networks will broadcast all home and domestic cricket for at least the next six summers.

Seven will broadcast Test matches and 43 of 59 Big Bash games, while Fox Sports will televise every game.

It comes after former Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist signed with Fox Sports’ cricket team two weeks ago.

Gilchrist and Ponting, along with Damien Fleming and Mark Waugh, were popular members of Network Ten’s Big Bash League commentary.

“Sport has been a major part of my life, as a player and now a commentator, so to join a network that is 100 per cent focused on sport is something I am extremely excited about,” Gilchrist said at the time.

“Fox Sports’ new partnership with cricket has seen a big commitment to the game — a game that I clearly love — and I can’t wait to be a part of the family.

“It’s a changed landscape for cricket coverage in this country, where viewers have more choice and more variety than ever — and this will be great for the game.”

– AAP