Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has finally addressed the speculation surrounding his removal from the IPL 2025 commentary panel. In an interview with The Lallantop, Pathan hinted that his exit could be linked to his critical remarks about India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, particularly during Pandya’s first season as captain of the Mumbai Indians. It was quite evident that Irfan’s remarks on his Mumbai Homecoming could have hurted his ego.
Pathan was candid about the nature of his commentary, emphasizing that his critiques stem from professionalism and not personal bias. “If I’m criticising you in 7 matches out of 14, I’m still being lenient. That is our job as broadcasters,” he said in response to questions about which player’s influence led to his IPL exit.
On Baroda Rivalry
He underlined that his analysis is always meant to be constructive, rejecting any notions of grudges. Pathan also highlighted his longstanding support for players from Baroda, including Hardik. “There is no rivalry. All the Baroda players who have come after me, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya or Hardik Pandya, none of them can say that Irfan-Yusuf did not help them,” Pathan explained. He recalled how he and his brother Yusuf have supported these players by helping them secure sponsorships and advocating for them.
Reflecting on an important moment from 2012, Pathan mentioned how he tried to help the young Hardik Pandya get an opportunity with Sunrisers Hyderabad. “VVS Laxman admitted on Star Sports, that he was at fault for not listening to me, and not picking Hardik in 2012. If he had picked him then, Hardik would have played for Hyderabad,” he revealed.
2024 Criticism
Pathan also spoke about his defense of Hardik during tough times, especially after Mumbai Indians fans turned hostile following Rohit Sharma’s removal as captain and criticism of Pandya in 2024. “There is nothing wrong in criticising the player, if you play, you have to go through that. It happened with Sunil Gavaskar, the great Sachin Tendulkar… they never made anyone feel, they were bigger than the game. But I’m against the derogatory words used against Pandya,” Pathan asserted.
He maintained that his commentary always focuses on the cricket and not the person, aiming to offer professional critique rather than personal attacks.
Pathan Also Shared Rohit’s Sydney Interview Thoughts
“Rohit Sharma is an amazing player in white-ball cricket, but his average in Test cricket that year was 6, so we said that if he was not the captain, he would not have had a place in the team, and this is true,” Pathan revealed.