CAB Seeks Removal of Bhogle and Doull from Kolkata IPL Commentary

KOLKATA: The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has reportedly asked the BCCI to prevent Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull from commentating at Eden Gardens for the IPL 2025 matches, following their strong criticism regarding the pitch conditions.

In a significant development before the Kolkata leg of IPL 2025, CAB has allegedly appealed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to exclude prominent commentators Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull from their commentary roles at the venue for the tournament’s remaining games.

Sources indicate that CAB communicated with the BCCI, voicing their discontent with the two commentators’ recent remarks concerning the pitches at Eden Gardens.

The communication followed shortly after the Kolkata Knight Riders’ home game against Gujarat Titans, which concluded recently.

The issue stems from alleged critical assessments by Bhogle and Doull, who are said to have questioned the standards and preparation of the Eden Gardens surface during a previous match.

The critique was apparently aimed at the venue’s long-standing curator, Sujan Mukherjee.

However, CAB has publicly defended the curator, emphasizing that he was adhering to BCCI’s guidelines, which prevent any IPL team from influencing pitch preparation.

Supporting the Curator

“The curator was simply doing his job according to protocol. Singling him out in public commentary is inappropriate,” a CAB representative stated.

The association suggests that Bhogle and Doull exceeded acceptable commentary standards and has formally requested the BCCI to ensure they are not assigned to commentate any of the remaining matches at the location, including Qualifier 2 and the final.

As of now, the BCCI has not provided an official response to CAB’s appeal.