Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh, now a commentator for IPL 2025, has sparked controversy following a racially insensitive remark about English pacer Jofra Archer during the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals match on Sunday. Harbhajan’s comment, which referenced London’s black taxis while discussing Archer’s costly bowling spell, has drawn widespread criticism on social media, with many fans calling for his removal from the commentary panel.
The incident occurred in the 18th over of the first innings, as Archer struggled against SRH batters Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen. After Archer was hit for consecutive boundaries, Harbhajan remarked, “London me kaali taxi ka meter tez bhaagta hai, aur yaha pe Archer sahab ka meter bhi tez bhaaga hai” (Like the meter of London’s black taxis, Archer’s meter has also been on the higher side).
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The comment was quickly deemed offensive, with many fans seeing it as racially charged. This is particularly surprising given that Harbhajan himself has been the target of racist incidents during his career. Social media quickly erupted, with fans demanding an apology and calling for Harbhajan’s suspension from the IPL commentary team.
Harbhajan has yet to publicly address the controversy or issue a statement of clarification.
As for Archer, his IPL 2025 debut was less than memorable. The England pacer set a new record for the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history, conceding 76 runs without taking a wicket—surpassing Mohit Sharma’s 0/73 for Gujarat Titans in 2024. His on-field struggles, paired with Harbhajan’s ill-timed comment, became the focus of the post-match conversation.
