Commentary Controversy at Eden Gardens: Bhogle & Doull Face Ban?

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has reportedly requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to prevent commentators Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull from being assigned commentary duties for Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) home matches at Eden Gardens for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season.

This development follows public criticism of the Eden Gardens pitch curator, Sujan Mukherjee, by Bhogle and Doull. The controversy arose after KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane mentioned the lack of spin-friendly pitches at Eden Gardens following their opening match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

During a panel discussion, Simon Doull suggested that if the curator was not listening to the home team’s needs for spin-friendly tracks, KKR should consider relocating. Harsha Bhogle supported the view that home teams should have the advantage of pitches suiting their bowlers.

CAB Secretary Naresh Ojha reportedly sent a formal letter to the BCCI approximately ten days ago, requesting the removal of Bhogle and Doull from the commentary panel for KKR’s home games. The CAB has stood by its curator, maintaining that he adhered to BCCI guidelines, which state that franchises cannot dictate pitch specifications.

Notably, neither Harsha Bhogle nor Simon Doull were part of the commentary team for the match between KKR and Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens on Monday, April 21, 2025. While sources close to Harsha Bhogle indicated he was not scheduled for this particular game, it remains unconfirmed whether the commentary roster was finalized before or after the CAB’s official complaint.

A CAB official mentioned that while Bhogle and Doull would not be part of the commentary team for KKR’s home matches, the situation might change when Eden Gardens hosts Qualifier 2 and the Final on May 23 and 25.