BCCI\u2019s decision comes in light of growing dissatisfaction from several cricketers
\n New Delhi
\nFormer Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has been removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 commentary panel following a series of complaints from players regarding his commentary style, Indian media reported citing sources.
\nThe Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly made the decision after growing dissatisfaction from several cricketers who accused Pathan of biased analysis and allowing personal opinions to influence his commentary.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s been happening for the last two years, where his personal biases were becoming evident,\u201d said a source close to the matter.
\nPlayers raised concerns that Pathan was overly critical of certain individuals, with tensions flaring over his remarks on Virat Kohli during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and criticism of Hardik Pandya\u2019s return to domestic cricket.
\nOne unnamed player even blocked Pathan\u2019s number, highlighting the deepening rift. Additional complaints cited a condescending tone during interviews and a perceived personal agenda in his commentary.
\nPathan\u2019s exclusion overshadowed the opening match of IPL 2025, held on 22 March between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Eden Gardens.
\nThe BCCI\u2019s move mirrors previous controversies in Indian cricket broadcasting. In 2020, Sanjay Manjrekar was similarly removed from the commentary team after on-air disputes with players and colleagues.
\nThe 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season began on 22 March with a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Eden Gardens.
\nHowever, the spotlight soon shifted from the pitch to the commentary box, with former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan missing from the BCCI\u2019s official commentary panel.
\nPathan, a regular voice in previous seasons, was notably absent this year. Reports suggest his removal stemmed from discontent among several players regarding his commentary style. Allegations of bias and overly critical analysis were at the heart of the issue, with some cricketers feeling that Pathan\u2019s personal opinions were creeping into his professional commentary.
\nA key moment of tension was Pathan\u2019s remarks on Virat Kohli during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which reportedly upset the star batsman. His criticism of Hardik Pandya\u2019s domestic cricket return also fuelled discontent.
\nSources revealed one unnamed player went as far as blocking Pathan\u2019s number. One source said, \u201cIt\u2019s been happening for the last two years, where his personal biases were becoming evident.\u201d
\nSome players also accused Pathan of adopting a condescending tone during interviews. With growing complaints, the BCCI reportedly decided it could no longer ignore the issue, ultimately leading to his exclusion from the panel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BCCI\u2019s decision comes in light of growing dissatisfaction from several cricketers New Delhi Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has been removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 commentary panel following a series of complaints from players regarding his commentary style, Indian media reported citing sources. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":469078,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-469065","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n