Veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has cleared the air regarding reports claiming that he has been banned from covering Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) home matches at Eden Gardens during IPL 2025. Bhogle dismissed the rumours, stating that the assumptions were “inappropriate” and entirely baseless.

bhogle-responds-to-eden-gardens-ban

“Wasn’t On My Roster” – Bhogle Breaks Silence on Absence

Speculations began after Bhogle was missing from the commentary panel during the KKR vs Gujarat Titans clash at Eden Gardens on Monday. Reports alleged that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had barred both Bhogle and fellow commentator Simon Doull due to their criticism of the Eden Gardens pitch earlier in the season.

Responding to these claims, Bhogle took to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday to issue a clarification. He wrote:

“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.”

Earlier Bhogle and Doull had openly criticised the pitch preparation at Eden Gardens suggesting that it did not favour KKR’s spin-heavy bowling attack. According to reports this criticism allegedly prompted the CAB to request the BCCI not to assign the duo to any more KKR home games.

However Bhogle has now firmly denied any official fallout with CAB stressing that his absence was simply a matter of scheduling and personal reasons not a consequence of controversy.