'Shri' Harsha Bhogle pens sweet note for Geoffrey Boycott as his BBC commentary stint ends

Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott, who is 79, ended his 14-year long association with BBC's Test Match Special commentary team citing concerns arising out of the Coronavirus pandemic. Boycott took the decision ahead of next month's home series against the West Indies, which marks the resumption of international cricket, and the decision is likely to call time on his long and illustrious commentary career for which he is well-remembered in India.

'I was so happy we went'

Veteran cricket commentator and analyst Harsha Bhogle on Sunday posted a photo with Boycott and said that he would dearly love to have one more commentary stint with him.

Bhogle recalled his visit to Leeds in July 2018 where he, along with noted sports presenter Alan Wilkins went over to Geoffrey Boycott's house to "say hello" as the former cricketer recovered from a surgery. Replying to the tweet, Wilkins replied, "Shri Bhogle, put my name down for that commentary stint with Geoffrey Boycott and your good self! What fun it would be!"

"My contract with BBC finished end of last summer. I would loved to continue but need to be realistic & honest with myself. Covid-19 has made the decision for both of us," Boycott wrote on Twitter. Boycott said his age and a quadruple heart bypass surgery was also behind his decision. The England-West Indies series will be played in a highly protected bio-secure environment to combat the coronavirus threat. 

Though his contract is now over, Boycott hinted he could still make the occasional appearance on the airwaves in the future. 

The former Yorkshire opener, who was knighted last year in Theresa May’s resignation honours list, has been part of the Test Match Special (TMS) commentary team since 2005, having previously been let go in 1998 following his conviction in a French court for assaulting his then-girlfriend Margaret Moore.

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Meanwhile, according to media reports, Isa Guha, the former England women's World Cup winner, has been named as the BBC's lead presenter of daily highlights show during each of the Tests and one-day internationals, alongside the likes of Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, Carlos Brathwaite and Phil Tufnell.

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(With agency inputs)