IPL 2025: Harsha Bhogle clears air on absence from KKR game at Eden Gardens

In response, Bhogle clarified that he had been assigned only two matches in Kolkata this season and missed the second one due to personal reasons.

Harsha Bhogle has addressed the speculation surrounding his absence from the IPL 2025 commentary panel for Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) home games at Eden Gardens.  Reports had suggested that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to exclude Bhogle and former cricketer Simon Doull from KKR's home fixtures due to their critical remarks about the pitch conditions at Eden Gardens. 

  Harsha Bhogle breaks silence on absence from KKR game

There are some inappropriate conclusions being drawn about why I wasn't at yesterday's game in Kolkata. Quite simply, it wasn't on the list of matches I was down to do! Asking me would have resolved the issue. Rosters are done before the tournament starts. I was rostered for two…

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 22, 2025

 

In response, Harsha Bhogle clarified that he had been assigned only two matches in Kolkata this season and missed the second one due to personal reasons. He emphasized that no formal communication had been received from the CAB regarding his exclusion. Doull had previously criticized the pitches for not favoring spinners, suggesting that KKR might consider relocating their home games if the conditions did not improve.

 

KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Chandrakant Pandit had also expressed disappointment over the lack of spin-friendly surfaces at Eden Gardens. Curator Sujan Mukherjee defended the pitch preparations, stating that the conditions were intended to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball, and that there would be more assistance for spinners in upcoming matches.

 

Bhogle's absence from the commentary panel has sparked discussions about the influence of player and official opinions on media assignments in the IPL