'Asking Me Would Have Resolved..': Harsha Bhogle Clears The Air Over His Absence From KKR vs GT IPL 2025 Game Amid Reports Of CAB Requesting To Ban Him

Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has cleared the air about reports circulating over him and Simon Doull getting banned from commentating in the IPL 2025 game between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans on Monday at the Eden Gardens. Bhogle clarified that he was present in the commentary team for the first game and family illness prevented him from being in the second.

According to reports, the request to not let Bhogle and Doull commentate in the game at the Eden Gardens came from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) as the duo had reportedly suggested that KKR move out of the city to over lack of support from the curator's side to prepare the pitch as per their requirements of the franchise.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Doull had stated:

"If he's (the curator) not taking heed of what the home team wants… I mean, they are paying the stadium fees, they are paying for what's going on in the IPL but if he's still not paying heed of what the home team wants, then just move the franchise away to somewhere else. His job is not to pass an opinion on the game. That's not what he's paid for."

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

Bhogle echoed the sentiment and remarked:

"If they are playing at home, (they) should get the tracks that they think are suited for their bowlers. I saw something (about) what the KKR curator has said."

Now, a day after KKR's latest game, Bhogle wrote the below on X:

"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."

Kolkata Knight Riders lose second consecutive game

Meanwhile, the Knight Riders were brushed aside by 39 runs at the Eden Gardens, with the Gujarat Titans cementing their spot at the top of the points table. Put into bat first, the Titans' batting performance was headlined by openers Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan as they put on a 114-run stand, eventually propelling their side to 198/3.

In response, the defending champions were restricted to 159/8 in 20 overs, with only Ajinkya Rahane passing 50.

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