 "Revisiting past controversies involving commentators: When Dhoni, Bachchan, and Jadeja clashed with presenters")
With Harsha Bhogle currently in the news for allegedly being banned from commentary at Eden Gardens during IPL 2025 , it’s a good time to look back at some of the most talked-about controversies involving Indian cricketers and commentators. One incident even involves Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan.
Over the years, commentary has sparked heated reactions both on and off the field. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the controversies involving commentators and players such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.
MS Dhoni and Amitabh Bachchan vs Harsha Bhogle (2016)
Back in 2016, Harsha Bhogle found himself in the middle of controversy during the T20 World Cup held in India. Bhogle reportedly irked some top Indian players with his focus on opposition teams, especially when India played Bangladesh.
After India narrowly beat Bangladesh in a thrilling match, Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, “With all due respect, it’s the Indian commentators that need to speak more about Indian players.” MS Dhoni, the then Indian white-ball captain, added fuel to the fire by replying with a cryptic tweet, saying, “Nothing to add.”
While Bhogle never directly responded to the tweets, he was removed from the commentary panel for the IPL later that year, which many believed was due to this controversy.
Ravindra Jadeja vs Sanjay Manjrekar (2019)
Another famous incident came during the 2019 Cricket World Cup when former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar called Ravindra Jadeja a “bits and pieces” player, suggesting he wasn’t good enough to play as a proper batter or bowler despite being an all-rounder.
Jadeja didn’t hold back. He hit back on Twitter, saying “Still I have played twice the number of matches you have played and I’m still playing. Learn to respect people who have achieved.”
The issue quickly grabbed headlines, especially after Jadeja’s fiery performance in the semi-final against New Zealand. Manjrekar later admitted on air that Jadeja had proven him wrong.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsVirat Kohli vs Sunil Gavaskar (2024)
Last year, Virat Kohli indirectly took a dig at the commentary panel after he was criticised for his strike rate in T20s and his struggle against spin. After helping RCB win a match, Kohli said, “There is a reason you’ve done this for 15 years… I’m not quite sure, if you have not been in that situation yourself, to sit and speak about the game from a box.” While he didn’t name anyone, it was clear his frustration was aimed at the commentators.
Sunil Gavaskar reacted strongly. He slammed broadcaster Star Sports for airing Kohli’s clip repeatedly. “I hope Star Sports realises that when that clip is shown, questioning the critics, the critics are your own commentators. For you to show the person belittling your own commentators, I’m not sure that’s a great thing,” Gavaskar said on air.
Isa Guha’s controversial comment on Jasprit Bumrah (2024)
During the third Test between India and Australia in December 2024, commentator Isa Guha called Jasprit Bumrah the "Most Valuable Primate" while on air . While she was trying to praise Bumrah’s performance, the use of the word “primate” sparked a massive backlash on social media for its racial undertones.
Guha issued an apology the next day, saying, “I used a word that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. I’d like to apologise for any offence caused… I only meant the highest praise for one of India’s greatest players, someone I admire greatly.”
Simon Doull and Harsha Bhogle vs CAB (2025)
And now in 2025, New Zealand’s Simon Doull and Harsha Bhogle are at the center of the latest commentator controversy. After both made remarks about Kolkata Knight Riders not getting spin-friendly pitches at Eden Gardens, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) reportedly wrote to the BCCI asking for them to be barred from commentating at the venue.
While Bhogle has denied being banned and said he was simply not assigned to the KKR vs GT match, the CAB episode has sparked a major debate.
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