Harsha Bhogle Speaks Out on CAB and BCCI Speculation

Seasoned commentator Harsha Bhogle has put to rest swirling rumors surrounding his absence from the commentary box during the IPL 2025 match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at Eden Gardens. Rumors arose after reports indicated that Bhogle, as well as former New Zealand cricketer and commentator Simon Doull, had been allegedly blacklisted by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) following their critical comments about the Kolkata pitch.

But Bhogle resorted to microblogging site X (previously Twitter) to set the record straight. He said there were "inappropriate conclusions" being made about his absence and clarified that he was only set to commentate on two Kolkata games this season. While he did the first one, personal reasons prevented him from attending the second.

There are some misplaced conclusions being drawn regarding the reasons why I was not present for yesterday's Kolkata game. Simply put, it wasn't on my list of games that I was agreeing to do! A simple question would have answered the problem. Rosters are completed prior to the tournament beginning. I was rostered for two games in Kolkata. I covered the first, and an unexpected illness within the family kept me away from the 2nd," Bhogle posted.

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Clarification Amid Controversy: Bhogle Addresses Pitch Criticism Fallout

His explanation follows reports that the CAB had asked the BCCI to steer clear of giving Bhogle and Doull KKR's home games, allegedly following their public criticism of the Eden Gardens pitch, prepared by Sujan Mukherjee. On Cricbuzz, both commentators had questioned the surface in question, contending that it was not conducive to KKR's spin-oriented lineup. Doull even went so far as to recommend that the franchise think about shifting home games if the pitch conditions did not provide a strategic advantage.

KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane and coach Chandrakant Pandit have also complained about the Eden Gardens surface this season, specifically its failure to provide spin support.

The home woes of the defending champions continued with a 39-run loss against GT, where they found themselves at number seven on the points table with a mere three victories. KKR will seek a turnaround when they play Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 26 at Eden Gardens.