Will Irfan Pathan Do Commentary in IPL 2026? All Details Here

The stage is all set for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 as the tournament will begin on March 28. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be up against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the tournament opener.

Along with the action in IPL 2026, the focus will be on the former India cricketer Irfan Pathan. The former Indian all-rounder was in the news last year and this was mainly because he was sacked from the IPL commentary panel of the last season.

It is to be noted that Pathan made some harsh comments on Hardik Pandya, one of the best all-rounders in the world, and faced a lot of criticism. Things didn’t seem to be okay between him and broadcasters due to comments being made, and he was ultimately sacked from the IPL commentators list.

As per the reports, he was snubbed from the panel as the "broadcasters were not happy with him bringing in personal grudges on-air and even on his social media handle."

Will Irfan Pathan Do Commentary in IPL 2026?

This has made many wonder if Irfan Pathan commentary will be available in IPL 2026 or not. The answer to it is yes, as the former Indian cricketer has been reappointed to the Star Sports commentary panel.

After the controversy surrounding Irfan Pathan IPL 2026 Commentary, he stayed out of the work for quite a few months. However, he was back in the mix again and has done commentary in major events including the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which India won.

After the Indian team was doing a victory lap, Pathan was yet again in focus when Hardik Pandya came close to him. The all-rounder hugged him and both passed a cheeky smile to each other, which was noticed by a lot of fans.

Now, that the controversy has come to an end, Irfan Pathan has been added again to the IPL commentators 2026 list. He is likely to be a famous face in the list for the English and Hindi languages.

Why Was Irfan Pathan Sacked From Commentary Panel?

After Irfan Pathan commentary controversy, he was sacked. He later made an appearance on a TV show and claimed that as a commentator, his responsibility was towards the fans and not players. He said that if the player is not performing, his job is to criticise them. He had said:

“See, I believe that as a broadcaster, when the commentary is going on and the fans are watching the match, you have to go ahead of the visuals and speak about what's happening. The broadcaster and commentator's work is - what is happening and why it is happening.

What can happen and how? If a player is doing exceptionally well, you praise him, and if they are not performing well, then criticize him. The commentators' responsibility is towards the fans, not players.”

Both Irfan and Hardik are from Baroda and have taken India to some memorable wins. While Irfan will be in the commentary panel, Hardik will be leading Mumbai Indians, which aims for their sixth IPL title.