The Cricket Association of Bengal has requested BCCI to remove commentators Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull from Kolkata Knight Riders’ home matches after they publicly criticised the Eden Gardens curator. The controversy emerged when Doull suggested KKR should relocate if they don’t get spin-friendly tracks, while Bhogle supported the team’s right to home advantage during a panel discussion following KKR’s losses in two of their first three home games.
CAB secretary Naresh Ojha sent a formal complaint to BCCI about ten days ago seeking their removal from the commentary panel for home games.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Neither Bhogle nor Doull were present for commentary during Monday’s KKR versus Gujarat Titans match, though sources close to Bhogle claimed he wasn’t scheduled for any KKR games.
“Bhogle and Doull are no longer part of the IPL commentary team for KKR’s home matches. However, the situation might change when Eden hosts the Qualifier 2 and the Final on May 23 and 25,” a CAB official told PTI.
The controversy intensified after KKR’s team management expressed disappointment over pitch conditions. Both captain Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Chandrakant Pandit were unhappy about not getting spin-friendly tracks.
After KKR’s loss to Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring game, Rahane expressed his frustration at the post-match press conference, stating, “There was no help for the spinners, let me make that clear,” and suggested further comments could create controversy.
During the expert panel discussion, Doull had strongly criticised the curator’s stance: “If he (the curator) is not taking heed of what the home team wants… they are paying the stadium fees, they are paying for what’s going on in the IPL. If he’s still not listening, then just move the franchise away. His job is not to pass an opinion on the game. That’s not what he’s paid for.”
Poll
What do you think about the pitch conditions at Eden Gardens for KKR?
Bhogle supported this view, saying: “If they are playing at home, they should get the kind of tracks that suit their bowlers. I saw something about what the KKR curator has said.”
The KKR management had reportedly requested surfaces favouring their spin bowlers Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Moeen Ali.
CAB has defended their curator Sujan Mukherjee, stating he has followed BCCI guidelines which prohibit franchises from influencing pitch preparation.
In the match against LSG that sparked the controversy, LSG posted 238/3 while KKR managed 234/7 in response.
CAB president Snehasish Ganguly and secretary Naresh Ojha were unavailable for comments on the matter.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
