Srinagar: In a major decision, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has been dropped from the official commentary panel of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
It was surprise for everyone to see Irfan Pathan’s name missing from the panel. As per multiple media reports, Pathan has been dropped due to a number of complaints made against him by Indian players for comments aimed at them, which they felt are a part of a personal agenda.
Reports said that one of the Indian players has ended up blocking the number of Irfan Pathan on his phone after hearing the comments on his performance during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test series against Australia. During the tour, the Indian cricket team lost the trophy to the hosts with a 1-3 scoreline after five Test matches.
“It’s been happening for the last two years as he was carrying his personal agendas against certain players and that didn’t go down well with the system,” report said.
Over the years, there have been a few big commentators, including names like Sanjay Manjrekar and Harsha Bhogle, who have lost their gigs in Indian cricket after complaints made about their way of doing things by players. In the aftermath of his expulsion, Sanjay Manjrekar had said on X, “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,” he added.