Irfan Pathan left out of commentary panel for IPL 2025

KARACHI: Former India all-rounder and renowned commentator Irfan Pathan was snubbed from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 commentary panel due to the alleged bias against certain players, Indian media reported on Sunday.

Pathan, since his retirement from international cricket in 2012, has been one of the regular members of the IPL commentary team.

The 40-year-old however was not named from the recently-commenced 18th edition of the cash-rich league as the "broadcasters were not happy with him bringing in personal grudges on-air and even on his social media handle."

"Pathan had a fallout with a couple of players a few years ago. Since then, he has not shied away from referring to them aggressively,” the report quoted a Board of Control for Cricket in India source as saying.

“The matter was raised that other junior players got caught in the crossfire. He has been accused of taking potshots at them on social media platform even if he didn't name them," it added.

Notably, Irfan Pathan is not the first commentator to be stripped of the commentary duties as in 2016 Harsha Bhogle was also left out of the panel.

"I still don't know why I am not doing the IPL. I can accept the fact that people don't like me. But I genuinely hope it isn't because cricketers have complained about what I have to say," Bhogle had posted on social media.

Similarly, in 2020, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar was removed from the commentary panel for India’s home ODI series against South Africa due to his previous 'bits and pieces' remark aimed at all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

"I have always considered commentary as a great privilege, but never an entitlement. It is up to my employers whether they choose to have me or not & I will always respect that. Maybe BCCI has not been happy with my performance of late. I accept that as a professional," Manjrerkar had posted on social media.