Categories: CricketIPL

Top 4 IPL Commentators Who Were Excluded Due To Controversies Ft. Irfan Pathan

Well, the news of former Indian international cricketer Irfan Pathan’s exclusion from the commentary panel of the ongoing IPL 2025 season has sparked numerous controversies about the bias that plagues the world’s wealthiest and most prominent cricket league, the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to the reports, Irfan Pathan has been ruled out from the commentary panel for the IPL 2025 season due to his derogatory remarks on Indian cricketers. Shockingly, Irfan Pathan is not the first commentator to face the wrath of the unending bias and controversies. A few other prominent commentators and former legendary cricketers, including Sanjay Manjrekar, have also suffered due to their controversial remarks in the past.

- Advertisement -

In this article we will take a look at the top four IPL commentators who have been brutally excluded from the commentary panel due to shocking controversies.

Top 4 IPL Commentators Who Were Excluded Due To Controversies

  • Sanjay Vijay Manjrekar – IPL 2020

- Advertisement -

Former Indian international cricketer, Sanjay Vijay Manjrekar is at the first spot in our list of the top four IPL commentators who have dropped out due to controversies. Shockingly, during the 2019 World Cup, Sanjay Manjrekar issued derogatory comments against Ravindra Jadeja, calling him a “bits and pieces” player, which sparked a brutal backlash among Jadeja’s fans. As a consequence, Sanjay Manjrekar was immediately removed from the BCCI’s commentary panel, eventually ruling him out of the list of Indian Premier League’s 2020 commentators.

  • Harsha Bhogle – IPL 2016

Often hailed as one of the most prominent commentators on the BCCI’s panel, Harsha Bhogle was unexpectedly removed from the commentary panel of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the 2016 edition.

- Advertisement -

Although the BCCI never gave an official statement after releasing Bhogle, according to reports, Bhogle’s ugly disagreement with officials at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) in Nagpur during the 2016 T20 World Cup, where he requested easier access between the Hindi and English commentary boxes, was one of the major reasons for his exclusion from the BCCI’s commentary panel. Additionally, Bhogle also made numerous disrespectful remarks to prominent Indian cricket players, including then-captain of the Indian cricket teamMS Dhoni, further intensifying the controversy.

  • Navjot Singh Sidhu- IPL 2019

At the third spot in our list of the top four IPL commentators who have been brutally excluded from the commentary panel due to shocking controversies, we have India’s former international cricketer and one of the most prominent commentators, Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was shockingly removed from the IPL 2019’s commentary panel.

Shortly after the tragic terrorist attack in Pulwama on 14 February 2019 that martyred 40 CRPF jawans, Navjot Singh Sidhu commented “For a handful of people, can you blame the entire nation and can you blame an individual?” during “The Kapil Sharma Show”. Sidhu’s comment sparked enormous rage on a national level, and he was alleged to defend Pakistan for its terrorist activities. As a consequence, Navjot Singh Sidhu was immediately removed from the Indian Premier League’s 2019 list of commentators. Additionally, with “#BoycottSidhu” trending on social media platforms, Sidhu was also dropped from the Kapil Sharma Show.

  • Irfan Pathan – IPL 2025

The much-awaited 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off on 22 March 2025. While the IPL aficionados were excited to witness the cricket extravaganza, Irfan Pathan’s absence from the commentary list served as a major shock for them. The former Indian international cricketer, Irfan Pathan, has been one of the most familiar faces in the Indian Premier League commentary panel for decades now.

According to reports, Irfan Pathan derogatory remarks on Indian cricketers, sparking numerous controversies about his commentating stint. Additionally, the broadcasters were also not happy with Pathan’s reading style and alleged him of being “biased” towards a certain group of cricketers. As a consequence of the ugly controversy, Irfan Pathan was overlooked for the IPL 2025 season, leaving a majority of fans in utter shock.

Alice Sharma

Recent Posts

One Step Closer: Arjun Erigiasi Climbs To World Number 4

Arjun Erigiasi has had a year of success in 2025. The young Indian sensation has…

2 hours ago

Kaggle Game Arena: o3 by OpenAI Emerges Victorious In A Thrilling Finale

And we have a winner in the AI chess tournament at the Kaggle Game Arena.…

6 hours ago

Canadian Open 2025 Finals: Who Could Take Singles Crown Home

The Canadian Open 2025 finals are about to deliver some of the most thrilling tennis…

10 hours ago

Injury Forces Viktor Axelsen To Withdraw From BWF World Championships 2025

Viktor Axelsen,  the two-time Olympic gold medallist, has made an extremely sad announcement through his…

11 hours ago

Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Day 1: Full Results And What’s Next

The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 day 1, brought some intense classical chess battles to the…

12 hours ago

Who Are Known As “The Pensioners” In UK Football ?

Who Are Known As "The Pensioners" In UK Football ? You might be the maverick…

13 hours ago

This website uses cookies.