The procession of Australians to the Indian Premier League "has been given a twist for the upcoming season, with former Southern Stars players Lisa Sthalekar and Mel Jones hired as TV commentators for the world's biggest Twenty20 competition," according to Jesse Hogan of THE AGE. Jones "has been a member of the TV commentary teams for recent women's tournaments such as the World Cup and World Twenty20, and has also featured on Channel Nine whenever they have shown home women's Twenty20 internationals." Sthalekar, "who ended her decorated career as an all-rounder two years ago after the Southern Stars' 2013 World Cup win, has joined Jones for broadcasts of the women's domestic 50-over and Twenty20 finals, and has increasingly been used as a expert commentary by ABC Radio." For both, their selection for the IPL season "is the biggest break of their media careers." Jones said, "Some people do laugh at the fact that there's female commentating men's cricket in India before Australia." Sthalekar and Jones are among four women -- former internationals Isa Guha of England and Anjum Chopra of India -- selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India "to commentate in the tournament." Jones: "With having four commentators on board I think it will open people's eyes up a bit more to women being involved" (THE AGE, 3/24).
