IPL 2025: Hindi commentary under scanner, fans demand accountability-OxBig News Network

The Hindi commentary panel of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) has been under the scanner as fans have repeatedly slammed its quality time and again in the ongoing season. A video of a fan calling out the repeated forced rhyming and over usage of poetry by several former cricketers has been gaining traction on social media.

The clip is being widely shared by cricket fanatics all over the internet, and it even caught the attention of former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who promised to work on improving it. However, that hasn’t stopped people from running a campaign on social media urging the broadcaster to take note of their criticism.

Social media platform X is full of people venting out their frustration at the current appalling state of Hindi commentary as it’s flooded with disparaging posts for the entire panel. A section of fans even compared the current quality of Hindi commentary to the vintage Doordarshan days of the 90s, when commentators focused more on the strategies of both teams instead of just blabbering for hours.

While the English commentators discuss the possible ways to dismiss Virat Kohli and dissect his technique to play a cover drive, the Hindi folks are often seen sharing anecdotes from their careers. It’s a big disservice to the fans and millions of aspiring cricketers from the country, who watch the game intently for hours with a hope of learning from those who’ve achieved the honour of playing at the highest level.

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Broadcaster also at fault?

However, what they’re being served is a concoction of endless hero worshipping, cheap poetry and useless anecdotes on repeat blaring out from their television. While fans discuss the degrading quality of Hindi commentary, it’s essential to note that it’s not just the commentators who have a say on the discourse that they have on air.

The broadcaster plays a massive role in influencing them and planning the usage of certain styles for their viewers. Hence, it’s not just the former cricketers who should bear the brunt of the fans’ agitation; the broadcaster is equally responsible for promoting it unabashedly through their various channels.

With massive outrage from fans, it’s up to the broadcasters to bring a change in their commentary standards and show that they really care about their viewers, who’ve allowed them to bag the record-breaking broadcast deals of the world’s grandest cricketing tournament.

Over the years, IPL has been advertised as a national festival that brings the entire country together. Hence, it’s essential to uphold the sanctity of this nationwide carnival by setting the highest standards of commentary.