Irfan Pathan Excluded From IPL 2025 Commentary Panel

Commentary and expert views are part of the overall mix, making cricket viewing fun on Television. If commentators are proficient in Hindi and English, they tend to be more in demand by the broadcasters.

Commentators were professional orators in the past. They stuck to the events happening in the match and hardly expressed their personal opinions.

Ex-cricketers have now replaced these commentators, but not necessarily with the best oratory skills.

Ex-cricketers who have played for India or their respective countries are in high demand for their cricketing insights. Their knowledge of the game helps improve the quality of the commentary while explaining the nuances of the game.

A biased mindset and a strong opinion of these ex-cricketers sometimes can cross the line on live commentary, leading to controversies.

While some of the well-known ex-cricketers may escape action, some relatively lesser-known cricketers can be pulled up by the broadcasters or by the BCCI.

While some big names may get away with their remarks, others face consequences—like Irfan Pathan, whose name was notably absent from the IPL 2025 commentary team released by the official broadcast partner.

Also Read: Cricket Commentators: The Voices Behind the Game: The Best of the Best

Irfan Pathan Removed from IPL Panel

Irfan Pathan’s name was not on the IPL commentary panel list released by the broadcast partner, raising quite a few eyebrows.

Irfan Pathan had been a regular in both Hindi and English commentary panels during previous IPL seasons. However, in IPL 2025, he has been excluded from the commentary panel, raising questions across the cricketing community.

Media reports claim that he made personal comments about players, leading to complaints and his subsequent removal.

Irfan Pathan played a significant role in discovering fresh talent for the IPL, including some of the key players from Jammu and Kashmir where he coached for domestic cricket.

Irfan Pathan recently started his YouTube channel and was very candid in his views on Indian cricket. Sometimes, outspoken views on his channel may have displeased a few in the BCCI.

His comments on his YouTube channel during the  Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia could be one of the reasons for Irfan’s exclusion from the commentary panel.

He has been accused of taking potshots on some current players on social media platforms and during live commentary too.

He criticized Virat Kohli’s technique, who was repeatedly getting out trying to play balls that went past his off stump. This criticism seems to have gone overboard, reflecting a clear bias towards one of India’s greatest, which was not taken lightly by the broadcasters.

The primary concern was that his commentary was perceived as biased and overly critical towards certain players. Some players accused him of pushing a personal agenda during interviews.