Ex-Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has been excluded from the commentary team for IPL 2025, according to reports, based on allegations of partiality and personal vendettas against some players. Pathan, who has been a regular feature in English as well as Hindi commentary, was not selected by the broadcasters, which was an unexpected exclusion from this year’s team.

Pathan was left out, according to a report in The Times of India, because broadcasters were not pleased with his social media conduct, where he supposedly singled out particular players and inserted personal differences into his commentary.

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Allegations of Bias and Taking ‘Potshots’ at Players

Close sources to the development indicated that Pathan had a confrontation with some players some years ago, and ever since, he has persistently mentioned them aggressively in his commentary. The reported action is said to have caused unease among broadcasters, with his comments dragging younger players into previous disputes.

“Pathan had a falling out with a couple of players some years ago. Ever since then, he has not hesitated to mention them in aggressive tones. The issue was brought up that other young players were caught in the middle of the fight. He has been accused of making potshots at them on social networking sites even if he did not mention them,” sources informed The Times of India.

This perceived personal prejudice created issues of professionalism, eventually leading to his removal from the IPL 2025 commentary panel.

Pathan’s Response – A New Venture on YouTube

Though Pathan has not come out and directly spoken about his omission from IPL commentary, he recently started his own YouTube channel, indicating a change in his cricket-based content. His breaking away to an independent platform means that he might continue to provide his cricket analysis without broadcaster censorship.

Not the First Controversy Over Commentary Snub

Pathan’s omission is not the first instance of a well-known commentator experiencing backlash and ouster based on player grievances.

In 2020, ex-Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar was dismissed from BCCI’s commentary team for India’s ODI series against South Africa. His contentious “bits and pieces” comment regarding Ravindra Jadeja during the 2019 ODI World Cup resulted in criticism, ultimately resulting in the loss of his role.

Following his removal, Manjrekar acknowledged the decision with a social media post:

“I have always thought of commentary as a big privilege, but never a right. It is for my employers to decide if they want me or not & I will always be respectful of that. Perhaps BCCI has not been satisfied with my recent performance. I take that on the chin as a professional,” he said.

Pathan’s situation, though, appears different since the controversy is based on personal rivalries and not just on-air comments.

What’s Next for Pathan?

With his IPL 2025 commentary suspension, only time will reveal whether Pathan will make a comeback in future editions. His transition to YouTube suggests that he is exploring independent platforms to share his cricket insights.

Even though IPL’s broadcasters have chosen a new direction, Pathan’s devoted fans might still tune in to his analysis—now on his own conditions.