Benaud, who has been cricket broadcasting's most comfortable armchair for the past 42 years, will hang up the microphone when Channel 4's contract with the ECB expires after the fifth Test. He has ruled out a switch to Sky, which controls the rights from next season.

"It is time to say goodbye because I won't be doing any more television in the United Kingdom," Benaud, 74, told CricInfo in an exclusive interview. "I'll still be doing free-to-air in Australia. I've got a three-year contract with Channel 9 which will probably be extended."