In a surprising development, well-known cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle will not be part of this year’s IPL as his contract has been terminated by the BCCI unexpectedly.
The decision is all the more startling since Bhogle had conducted this year’s Season 9 draft auction, was in the commentators’ duty roster, appeared in the league’s promotional videos and also had his flight booked by the production house.
A senior BCCI official however, told The Sunday Express: “When deciding the commentators, we take feedback from everyone. We monitor social media reactions on commentators, and also take inputs from players.”
IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla and BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur refused to comment on Bhogle’s expulsion.
Other Board members have speculated that an incident which occurred during India’s opening WorldT20 game at Nagpur last month, where Bhogle reportedly got into an altercation with a Vidharba Cricket Association official could be the reason for his sudden ouster.
“No one told me anything. I have not been formally told of the reason even now. All I have been told is ‘it is a BCCI management decision’,” said Bhogle.
Bhogle has been a commentator in the IPL since the first season in 2008 and is a distinguished voice with over 3 million Twitter followers.