'Nothing wrong in criticising a player...': Irfan Pathan breaks silence on getting sacked from IPL commentary team

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has finally opened up on getting sacked from the IPL 2025 commentary team earlier this year. Pathan had been fired from the panel for unknown reasons. Many speculations were made, but he himself has now provided some clarity on the matter.

Pathan hinted that he may have been sacked from the team due to his criticism for Hardik Pandya during the latter's first campaign as the skipper of Mumbai Indians in 2024. However, the former also remarked that he has never overly criticized any player from Baroda, including Hardik.

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“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,” he said, drawing attention to the guidance he and his brother Yusuf have offered over the years. He added that it included help in arranging sponsorships and putting in a good word for the players," Pathan said in a chat with The Lallantop.

Pathan had suggested SRH to sign Hardik in 2012

Pathan further recalled that he had recommended the Sunrisers Hyderabad to sign Hardik back in 2012, however the franchise let the opportunity slip away. The all-rounder was eventually signed by the Mumbai Indians and he made his debut in the IPL in 2015.

“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,” Pathan stated.

Additionally, Pathan pointed out that he has defended Hardik on many occasions as well, including the time when even the fans of Mumbai Indians had turned against the player for succeeding Rohit Sharma as the side's captain in 2024.

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“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 further said.

Meanwhile, after getting dropped from the IPL commentary panel, Pathan opened up his own YouTube channel. He has gotten a lot of support from fans and has already achieved a lot of success as a content creator.