IPL 10: Fans to miss Harsha Bhogle's commentary this time around also!
5 April 2017, 11:37 IST

IPL 10: Fans to miss Harsha Bhogle's commentary this time around also!

Noted cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has once again not been included in the list of commentators for the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) beginning on 5 April, 2017 in Hyderabad.

Bhogle has not been named in the list of 20 commentators released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 4 April, 2017.

A popular face behind the camera, the 55-year-old has spent nearly a year away from the commentary box after he had a stand-off with the erstwhile BCCI administration.

It all began apparently with his criticism of the Indian cricket team's performance in 2016. Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, without taking names, had taken a shot at Bhogle on his Twitter handle.

It should also be noted that Bhogle's comments also were not well received by former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and other team officials.

The episode resulted with him being excluded from the last season of the IPL.

Meanwhile, the list of 20 commentators, who will be travelling 10 cities over a period of 47 days, include regular names like Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Isa Guha and so are set to return, besides few new comers such as Micheal Clarke and Darren Ganga are two of them.

Manjrekar, who has been quite the IPL veteran, has been very excited about the grand 10th edition of the IPL.

"It doesn't get any bigger and better than this," he said. "I have always loved this tournament and this year it is going to be no different with the IPL getting into its 10th year. One can expect a lot of surprises and some adrenaline pumping action on the field. Can't wait to set the ball rolling."

Clarke, who was a part of the commentary panel in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Series, was looking forward to an enjoyable IPL journey. "I have been a part of this tournament as a player and in 2017 I am eager to get behind the microphone and have some fun. Love this place, love the tournament and it is great to be a part of this commentary team."

"It was a great initiative by the BCCI in 2015 to include women cricketers into the commentary panel," Lisa Sthalekar, former Australia captain said. "I had a great time discussing the game with Anjum Chopra, Isa Guha, Melanie Jones and the rest of the commentators and I expect 2017 stint with the IPL to be even better."

Kevin Pietersen, who will be joining Clarke and the others in the commentary box, said, "It's always great to be in India and playing in or commentating on all of the explosive action that personifies the IPL. Coming back this time as a commentator is going to be an experience I will cherish for a long time."

"I always look forward to this tournament, but in my new role as commentator, I'm looking forward to it even more. I am sure my fellow commentators and I are going to have an absolute blast, calling all the action LIVE as it unfolds to the hundreds of millions of IPL fans," he added.

The IPL 10 begins on 5 April, 2017 with defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the season opener at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

The list of commentators for this edition of the IPL is: Sanjay Manjrekar, Scott Styris, Ravi Shastri, Pommie Mbangwa, Sunil Gavaskar, Simon Doull, L Siva, Anjum Chopra, D Morrison, Isa Guha, Michael Hussey, Lisa Sthalekar, Matthew Hayden, Melanie Jones, Micheal Clarke, Murali Kartik, Brett Lee, Kevin Pietersen, Brendon Julien and Daren Ganga.

-ANI

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