Why did Irfan Pathan step away from IPL 2025 commentary? Was Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli behind it? Until now, these were just speculations, but former India all-rounder and current cricket expert Irfan Pathan has broken his silence. He revealed that it was not Virat or Rohit, but Hardik Pandya who was unhappy with his on-air criticism. In an interview with The Lallantop, Pathan clarified the situation, defended his role as a broadcaster, and even recalled how he had once supported Pandya in the past.
Pathan explained his perspective on commentary and the importance of constructive criticism in broadcasting. He said, “If I am criticising you in 7 out of 14 matches, that’s still me being lenient. As broadcasters, that’s exactly our job.”
The former cricketer stressed that he has no personal rivalry with Pandya. He highlighted how he has always backed players from Baroda. “There is no rivalry. Any player who has come from Baroda after me—whether it’s Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, or Hardik Pandya—none of them can say that Irfan or Yusuf didn’t support them,” he said.
Pathan even recalled a crucial moment from 2012 when he had recommended a young Hardik Pandya to Sunrisers Hyderabad, recognising his talent early on. He revealed that V.V.S. Laxman later admitted they missed a golden opportunity by not listening to him.
“VVS Laxman accepted on Star Sports that it was his mistake not to take my advice in 2012 and pick Hardik. If they had chosen him then, Hardik would have played for Hyderabad,” Pathan revealed.