Irfan Pathan Defends IPL Commentary Criticisms Amid Sacking

Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-round cricketer, has openly discussed his removal from the IPL 2025 broadcast panel. He spoke openly about his sacking during an interview with TheLallantop, wherein Pathan touched upon the possible cause of his exit. The player speculated that this drastic step might be due to his critique of Hardik Pandya, especially during the player’s first tenure as the Mumbai Indians skipper.

While making his stance clear on the matter, Irfan revealed that his prudence during the matches is purely professional and not determined by any personal bias. He emphasized that he is lenient in his evaluation process, criticising players in just half of the total matches. Furthermore, Irfan stressed the importance of providing constructive analysis without any personal grudges.

Addressing the speculations of a rumored rivalry between himself and Hardik, Irfan stated that he has always been supportive of new talents emerging from their mutual hometown, Baroda. He mentioned that not only Hardik but others like Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya also had his backing. Irfan highlights his and his brother’s contribution in getting sponsorships for these young talents and their continuous guidance.

Irfan reminisced about an incident that occurred in 2012, where he had recommended Hardik to Sunrisers Hyderabad. According to him, VVS Laxman, who was involved in the team’s decision-making process, recently admitted on Star Sports that it was a mistake not to heed Irfan’s guidance back then.

The former fast-bowling all-rounder also mentioned his attempts to publicly defend Hardik. In 2024, he stood by Hardik during the outrage by fans when Rohit Sharma was ousted as the Mumbai Indians captain. Irfan defended Hardik when the latter faced aggressive backlash from the public. He made it clear that there is a difference between criticising a player’s performance and using derogatory words against the person. He ended his interview by reiterating his commitment to critiquing the game, devoid of any personal biases.