Irfan Pathan gets support from veteran Bollywood actor after being snubbed from IPL 2025 commentary

Irfan Pathan is not part of the IPL 2025 commentary panel. (Pic: Getty Images).

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan is among the notable absentees from the commentary panel of the ongoing IPL 2025. Amid the snub, the 40-year-old received support from veteran Bollywood actor Gajraj Rao.

After being overlooked for commentary by the broadcasters, Irfan has been voicing his opinions on the IPL 2025 matches on his YouTube channel. Rao shared a small clip of the cricketer-turned-commentator's match review of Punjab Kings' (PBKS) 18-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on his Instagram story.

The 'Badhaai Ho' fame actor remarked that after being an admirer of Iran's cricketing skills, he has now become a fan of his commentary. Rao wrote:

"Irfan ke cricket ka fan tha, ab unki commentary ka bhi... Well done [I was a fan of Irfan's cricket, now I am a fan of his commentary too]!"

Screenshot of Gajraj Rao's Instagram story.

Irfan Pathan responded to the praise by lauding Gajraj Rao's acting skills. He wrote on his Instagram story:

"Apki acting bhi to lajawab hai [Even your acting is outstanding]."

While Irfan was overlooked for IPL 2025 commentary, the other notable former cricketers who are part of the Hindi panel include Navjot Singh Sidhu, Ambati Rayudu, Aakash Chopra and Suresh Raina.

"Itne to legend league mein nahi chorte bhai" - Irfan Pathan's hilarious quip on sloppy catching in PBKS vs CSK IPL 2025 match

The catching standards weren't up to the mark in the IPL 2025 match between PBKS and CSK at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on Tuesday, April 8.

Around eight catches were dropped across the two innings. Reacting to the same, Irfan Pathan hilariously remarked that teams don't drop these many catches even in a Legends League Cricket match.

Irfan wrote on X:

"8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein nahi chorte bhai."

Expand Tweet

CSK failed to chase a 220-run target, slumping to their fourth consecutive loss of the season. With just one win from five games, they are currently ninth in the points table. PBKS, on the other hand, have won three out of their first four games and occupy the fourth position.

About the author

Aditya writes news, features, listicles, and exclusive pieces at Sportskeeda as a cricket journalist. After completing his MBA in Sports Management from Symbiosis, he started his professional journey and has a total work experience of 4 years, which included a stint at Republic World. Impressively, he has also done exclusive on-site coverage of two T20 World Cups (2021, 2022), the 2023 ODI World Cup, and 5 editions of IPL, and boasts a total readership of close to 12 million at Sportskeeda. He has also played cricket professionally at the AIU Zonal level for Ahmedabad district.

Aditya admires Virat Kohli’s exemplary discipline, dedication, and hard work. Kohli’s ‘Shot of the Century’ against Haris Rauf is a moment that left a lasting impact on him, ultimately teaching him a valuable life lesson that self-belief will always bear fruit. His favorite teams are the Indian Cricket Team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Aditya believes in sourcing information only from trusted sources rather than any random social media posts on the story and being neutral and honest are his reporting strengths. When not writing, he enjoys playing snooker and pickleball with his friends, and he is also a self-proclaimed coffee aficionado.

Know More

Get real-time updates on IPL 2025, including live scores, match schedules, points table & squad details for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT & PBKS

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava