'I don't want to do a disservice': Ian Bishop on importance of preparation in commentary

NEW DELHI — As social media criticism mounts over the quality of Hindi commentary in the ongoing Indian Premier League, former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop has emerged as the gold standard for meticulous preparation behind the microphone.

While Harbhajan Singh, Aakash Chopra and Navjot Singh Sidhu have faced flak for their on-air work, Bishop’s reputation continues to rise, thanks in large part to the leg-work he invests long before the first ball is bowled.

Joy Bhattacharjya, ex-KKR Team Director and veteran sports administrator, recently highlighted Bishop’s diligence on X, noting that the Trinidadian’s research into junior cricketers’ back-stories sets him apart. “I am all for the credit given to Ian Bishop for the research he puts into the junior cricketers,” Bhattacharjya wrote, urging fans to also celebrate the reporters on the ground whose profiles feed commentators the human details that enrich broadcasts.

Bishop, 58, was quick to deflect praise. Speaking to TimesofIndia.com during the ILT20, he acknowledged that much of his material comes from the written press. “I want to say thanks to all of you gentlemen from the media, particularly the written press, who do all these profiles on players that feed information to me as a commentator that I would not otherwise have known.”

The former Test cricketer, who played 43 Tests for the West Indies before injury ended his career in 1999, outlined a research routine that borders on obsessive. “I want to know who their parents are, I want to know what job they had, I want to know how they got into the game,” he explained. “I believe the public deserves to know this for several reasons. The 13-year-old watching who doesn’t have the availability of funds, I want to be able to say to him or her, you too can make it.”

Bishop confessed that the workload can be punishing. “I spend, to the chagrin of my wife and children, far too much time preparing for a game,” he said, half-jokingly asking analysts whether AI tools could speed the process. “But I don’t want to do a disservice to the people watching and listening by not knowing a player or what I am talking about.”

He credits Michael Holding for recommending him to Channel 4, and counts Holding, Gary Francis, Michael O’Dywer and the late Tony Cozier as formative influences on his craft. Rather than coaching after retirement, Bishop chose commentary—his fallback plan had been teaching.

On delivery, Bishop adapts his style to the format. Test cricket allows space for long-form storytelling, while T20 demands high-energy brevity. “There are times when I prefer not to speak,” he admitted, recalling producers asking if he was “working today” when he opts for silence.

The commentator also prepares for potential milestone moments, a tip he received from ICC executive producer Ajesh Ramachandran in 2016. “Please prepare for moments, whether it’s a half-century, whether it’s a five-wicket haul, with something. Because that moment will live on for eternity,” Ramachandran told him. Bishop prefers bullet-point prompts over scripted lines. “If you write a script, it just sounds very well read. Whereas reacting to the moment with a little bit of previous information, I think, is the best way to go.”

Perspective on criticism comes from the legendary Richie Benaud. Bishop recalled Benaud shrugging off a “best commentator” award by noting that not every viewer loved his style. “There’s a part of the market that likes volume… and there’s another part of the market that likes calm,” Benaud said—advice Bishop carries whenever critique is directed at commentators.

In a tournament environment where standards are increasingly scrutinised, Bishop’s ethos remains simple: respect the audience, credit the journalists who unearth the stories, and never stop preparing.