The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) has attracted criticism for fielding more foreign commentators than Indians in the commentary box from playoff-stage onwards. Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar were the only two BCCI-contracted Indian commentators on IPL duty for the playoff games while as many as 5 ex-cricketers from overseas Michael Clarke, Michael Slater, Graeme Smith, Simon Doull and Matthew Hayden were handed the same roles during the last 4 matches of the cash-rich cricket league.
BCCI has been using at least 4 Indian commentators in the past 10 seasons of the IPL but that wasn’t the case in IPL 11.
“The board all of sudden is finding that the Indian commentators aren’t good at speaking in English. Does BCCI have problem with the Indian accent?” a source told.
“This is our Indian Premier League and the priority should be given to the Indians first. This has been the norm for last 10 years, why is it changing right now?” a former captain, on the condition of anonymity, said.
The sources also stressed on the matter that when the tournament broadcasters engaged former cricketers like VVS Laxman, whose isn’t as good in Hindi as he is in English, no questions were raised. Then why is the same not being followed in English commentary done by Indians?
“No one says anything when some of the south zone players make mistakes on air while doing Hindi commentary. This isn’t the right approach,” a TV broadcasting source told.
