‘Asking me would’ve resolved..’: Harsha Bhogle denies CAB influence behind absence in KKR vs GT

Harsha Bhogle, Gill-Rahane at the toss (Pic: AFP/iplt20/BCCI)

In response to media reports suggesting he was sidelined from commentary duties for Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL 2025 match against Gujarat Titans due to a complaint from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle has firmly clarified the situation.

Bhogle emphasised that he had only been scheduled to commentate on two KKR matches this season, both of which had already concluded.

The controversy stems from a letter reportedly sent around ten days ago by CAB secretary Naresh Ojha to the BCCI, requesting the removal of Bhogle and New Zealand commentator Simon Doull from commentary duties for matches at Eden Gardens. The letter followed their critical observations regarding the Eden Gardens pitch, which they claimed was not aiding the home team, KKR.

"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!" Bhogle wrote on ‘X', refuting claims that his absence was due to CAB's complaint.

"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," he added, without identifying the specific fixtures.

Meanwhile, KKR continued to struggle on the field, suffering their second consecutive defeat, this time by 39 runs, against Gujarat Titans. Their earlier loss came at the hands of Punjab Kings. The team's management has openly voiced dissatisfaction with the Eden Gardens pitch.

Both captain Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Chandrakant Pandit have called for more spin-friendly conditions at their home ground, expressing discontent over the surface's failure to complement their spin-heavy attack, which includes Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Moeen Ali.

Following CAB's defense of curator Sujan Mukherjee, Doull controversially remarked that KKR might consider relocating if their home venue couldn't cater to their strategic needs. Bhogle had also expressed a similar sentiment, asserting that KKR deserved to have the home advantage.