Harsha Bhogle issues an official statement after CAB blocks him and Simon Doull from Eden Gardens

Commentator Harsha Bhogle reacted to rumors surrounding his absence from the commentary panel during the IPL 2025 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in Kolkata.

Harsha dismissed the rumors, stating that he was only scheduled to commentate for two matches in Kolkata.

Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull raised concerns over the Eden Gardens pitch. They questioned why Kolkata Knight Riders were not being given spin-friendly surfaces at home.

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Notably, Bhogle and Doull were not part of the commentary team during the IPL 2025 match between KKR and Gujarat Titans on Monday.

There Are Some Inappropriate Conclusions Being Drawn - Harsha Bhogle

Harsha Bhogle revealed the reason for his absence from the Kolkata Knight Riders match. Bhogle said that he had been scheduled to commentate on only two matches at Eden Gardens as per the pre-tournament roster. He was present for the first game but missed the second due to a family member's illness.

"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!" Bhogle posted on 'X' (formerly known as Twitter).

"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," he added without specifying the games.

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

There was no official explanation from Simon Doull regarding his absence from the match, where the Knight Riders suffered a 39-run loss.

Controversy Erupts after KKR Captain Ajinkya Rahane Requested Spin-Friendly Pitches

For the unversed, a controversy sparked when KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane wanted the Eden Gardens pitch to favor spinners after a loss to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). However, the ground's curator, Sujan Mukherjee, dismissed the request and stated that he would stick to preparing neutral pitches.

It surprised many in the cricket world, as teams make home conditions to their advantage. Simon Doull stated that KKR should consider relocating their base if they were unhappy with the pitch in Kolkata. Notably, the Knight Riders have spinners like Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Moeen Ali.

Cricket Association of Bengal Requested BCCI to Remove Harsha Bhogle and Doull from Commentary Panel

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) took issue with the comments made by Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull regarding Eden Gardens' pitch. In response, CAB secretary Naresh Ojha formally complained to the BCCI, requesting their removal from the commentary panel for KKR's home matches.

CAB defended their pitch curator, Sujan Mukherjee, adding that he followed the BCCI guidelines, which prohibit franchises from influencing pitch preparation. The Super Giants posted a total of 238/3, while the home team managed to score 234 for the loss of seven wickets, losing the match by four runs.

Also read: CAB demands ban on Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull from Eden Gardens