Commentator Harsha Bhogle breaks silence on missing KKR games amid controversy
Decorated commentator Harsha Bhogle has dismissed rumours suggesting he is not part of the IPL 2025 commentary panel for Kolkata Knight Riders' home games at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Bhogle clarified the reason behind his absence from Monday's match between KKR and Gujarat Titans, stating that "inappropriate conclusions" were being drawn regarding his absence from the commentary box.Reports on Monday claimed that Harsha Bhogle and former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull had been red-flagged by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), which had allegedly requested the BCCI not to assign them to KKR's home fixtures. According to the PTI news agency, this purported stance from the CAB came in response to criticism from Bhogle and Doull regarding Eden Gardens pitches prepared by CAB curator Sujan Mukherjee during IPL 2025.advertisementTaking to X (formerly Twitter), Bhogle clarified that he had been assigned just two matches in Kolkata this season, and had missed the second one due to personal reasons. Neither Bhogle nor Doull were part of the commentary panel for Monday's match between KKR and GT at Eden Gardens.
"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 games in Kolkata. I was there for the first and an illness in the family prevented me from being at the 2nd," Bhogle wrote on Tuesday, April 22.Both Bhogle and Doull, speaking to Cricbuzz, had criticised the Eden Gardens curator for not providing pitches that suited the home team's strengths. Doull had even suggested that KKR should consider relocating their home games away from Kolkata if they continued to receive pitches that did not aid their chances of winning.advertisementKKR captain Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Chandrakant Pandit have also expressed disappointment over the lack of spinner-friendly surfaces at Eden Gardens in the first half of the tournament.Following KKR's season-opening loss to RCB, Rahane had raised the issue, stating that their spin trio-Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali-needed conditions that supported their strengths.When asked about the conditions following their narrow four-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring match, Rahane urged the media and pundits to stop amplifying attention around the Eden Gardens curator. LSG had posted 238 on a batting-friendly pitch with little assistance for bowlers, and KKR fell short by just five runs."There is enough talk about the wicket. You guys have given enough publicity to it. If I say something it will be controversial. Our curator has got a lot of publicity and I think he is happy with that publicity. You can write anything about home advantage. If I feel something, I will tell IPL rather than talking here," Rahane said.However, curator Mukherjee has maintained that IPL franchises do not have the authority to dictate pitch preparation, citing the rulebook. The CAB has also stood behind Mukherjee on the matter.advertisementMeanwhile, KKR lost their latest match against Gujarat Titans by 39 runs, falling well short of the 199-run target. The three-time champions currently sit seventh on the IPL 2025 points table, with just three wins from eight matches. They are scheduled to face Punjab Kings next at Eden Gardens on Saturday.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Must Watch
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