Irfan Pathan dropped from IPL 2025 commentary panel amid controversy

Photo: Instagram/@irfanpathan_official

Irfan Pathan, a former Indian cricketer, has been a well-known voice in cricket commentary. His opinions are sharp, clear, and honest. However, as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 gets ready for its biggest-ever broadcast, Irfan Pathan will not be part of the commentary panel. This decision has raised some questions, especially because reports are suggesting that it was due to complaints from Indian cricketers about his criticism.

Why was Irfan Pathan left out?

According to reports, several Indian cricketers were unhappy with the way Pathan criticized them during his commentary. Some players felt that his remarks were too personal and not just about their game performance. A report from MyKhel says that one cricketer even blocked Pathan’s number on his phone because he didn’t like the comments Pathan made during India’s series against Australia.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

A source said, “Otherwise, Pathan would have been in the panel. This has been happening for the past two years, as he was seen as carrying personal grudges against some players. That didn’t sit well with the cricket system.”

IPL 2025’s big commentary panel

For IPL 2025, the official broadcaster has put together a large panel of 170 experts. Some of the big names in this panel include former cricketers like AB de Villiers, Kane Williamson, Shane Watson, Virender Sehwag, Ravi Shastri, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Anil Kumble, Mark Boucher, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Sunil Gavaskar, and Ajay Jadeja. The panel also includes popular commentators like Navjot Singh Sidhu, Aakash Chopra, and Ambati Rayudu.

The IPL 2025 matches will be broadcast in more than 25 different feeds across TV and digital platforms. JioHotstar, the official broadcaster of IPL, is offering this special coverage in 12 languages, making sure that fans can enjoy the games in their own language.

Pathan is not the first one.

Irfan Pathan is not the only commentator to be left out because of player complaints. In the past, other well-known commentators like Sanjay Manjrekar and Harsha Bhogle were also dropped from the commentary panel after facing criticism from Indian cricketers. They were also accused of being too critical or having personal views against certain players.

Pathan’s plans for the future

Even though Pathan is not part of the IPL 2025 commentary panel, he has made it clear that he will continue to share his opinions. He plans to keep voicing his thoughts on platforms like YouTube and social media, where he regularly shares his insights about cricket.

In conclusion, the exclusion of Irfan Pathan from the IPL commentary panel has sparked controversy. However, it seems that personal complaints from players played a role in this decision. Despite this, Pathan will continue to engage with fans and share his cricketing views through other platforms.