New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season kicked off on March 22, but the former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has been excluded from the IPL 2025 commentary panel by JioStar.
This decision was reportedly driven by accusations of personal bias against certain players.
Pathan, a regular fixture in IPL broadcasts since his retirement from cricket, was not part of the commentary lineup announced ahead of the season opener between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
According to a report by The Times of India, the decision stems from concerns raised by JioStar over Pathan’s on-air commentary and social media activity.
Quoting sources, news reports stated that Pathan had a fallout with a few players several years ago and has since been vocal in his criticism of them, both during live broadcasts and on platforms like X.
“The broadcasters were not happy with him bringing personal grudges on-air and even on his social media handle,” said sources in the report.
The report further noted that his remarks were perceived as targeting specific cricketers, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere, with junior players inadvertently caught in the crossfire.
Undeterred by the snub, Pathan has shifted gears, launching his own YouTube channel, Seedhi Baat With Irfan Pathan, on March 22. In his announcement, he promised unfiltered cricket analysis, stating, “Mic on, filter off. Where the talk is real.”
The exclusion has drawn parallels to past commentary controversies in Indian cricket. In 2020, Sanjay Manjrekar was dropped from the BCCI’s commentary panel following his controversial “bits and pieces” remarks about Ravindra Jadeja during the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Similarly, commentator Harsha Bhogle faced an unexpected exit from the IPL panel in 2016. Pathan’s case, however, stands out due to the allegations of personal bias rather than professional critique alone.
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Dropped from JioStar's IPL 2025 commentary panel, Irfan Pathan launches YouTube channel
According to the news reports, JioStar’s decision was driven by accusations of personal bias against certain players
New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season kicked off on March 22, but the former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has been excluded from the IPL 2025 commentary panel by JioStar.
This decision was reportedly driven by accusations of personal bias against certain players.
Pathan, a regular fixture in IPL broadcasts since his retirement from cricket, was not part of the commentary lineup announced ahead of the season opener between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
According to a report by The Times of India, the decision stems from concerns raised by JioStar over Pathan’s on-air commentary and social media activity.
Quoting sources, news reports stated that Pathan had a fallout with a few players several years ago and has since been vocal in his criticism of them, both during live broadcasts and on platforms like X.
“The broadcasters were not happy with him bringing personal grudges on-air and even on his social media handle,” said sources in the report.
The report further noted that his remarks were perceived as targeting specific cricketers, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere, with junior players inadvertently caught in the crossfire.
Undeterred by the snub, Pathan has shifted gears, launching his own YouTube channel, Seedhi Baat With Irfan Pathan, on March 22. In his announcement, he promised unfiltered cricket analysis, stating, “Mic on, filter off. Where the talk is real.”
The exclusion has drawn parallels to past commentary controversies in Indian cricket. In 2020, Sanjay Manjrekar was dropped from the BCCI’s commentary panel following his controversial “bits and pieces” remarks about Ravindra Jadeja during the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Similarly, commentator Harsha Bhogle faced an unexpected exit from the IPL panel in 2016. Pathan’s case, however, stands out due to the allegations of personal bias rather than professional critique alone.