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Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle has addressed the swirling chatter around his absence during Monday’s clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at Eden Gardens.
He clarified that his non-appearance had nothing to do with any controversy but was purely due to scheduling.
Clarification Over Broadcast Absence
In the days leading up to his explanation, several reports alleged that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had requested the BCCI to sideline Bhogle and fellow commentator Simon Doull from matches in Kolkata. This was said to be in response to their remarks criticizing the Eden Gardens pitch after the opening fixture of the season.
Bhogle took to Twitter on Tuesday to clear the air.
“Some inappropriate conclusions are 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,” he posted.
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
He further added, “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.”
CAB’s Pushback Against Criticism
The controversy gained traction after a letter by CAB Secretary Naresh Ojha, sent nearly 10 days ago, became public. In it, the association reportedly asked for Bhogle and Doull to be removed from the commentary team for Eden Gardens matches.
Their remarks about the pitch not favoring KKR didn’t sit well with the association. Bhogle had pointed out that the home team deserved to enjoy some advantage, while Doull had gone as far as to suggest KKR might consider shifting their home base if the pitches continued to be unsupportive.
KKR’s Struggles and Pitch Concerns
In Monday’s match, KKR fell short against GT, losing by 39 runs. Notably, key bowlers Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine failed to pick up any wickets.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane and coach Chandrakant Pandit have both expressed dissatisfaction with the pitch. They’ve asked for a surface that better assists their spin-heavy attack, which also includes Moeen Ali.
With the next home fixture against Punjab Kings scheduled for Saturday, April 26, all eyes will be on whether KKR can bounce back — and whether the Eden Gardens pitch will finally give them the edge they’re asking for.
ALSO READ: KKR’s Path To IPL 2025 Playoffs: Scenarios And Possibilities After Winning 3 Of 8 Matches
