Harsha Bhogle speaks from the heart - Full interview with The Final Word

India's voice of cricket has a long relationship with Australia, part of ABC radio since 1991. This didn't happen by accident: Harsha Bhogle was the classic freelance pioneer, and still has that attitude. At Christmas in 2018 he settled down for a long chat with Adam and Geoff about the hustle and grind, the need to improvise, and the story of how he turned this into an extraordinary life.

[@rahulmalhotra3546]

Harsha sounds so relatable, that's his biggest strength. You feel he's you speaking what you always wanted to, but couldn't!

[@IITianProudIndian]

Sorry, being "relatable" does not mean he's any good! Have you heard anything other than cliched statements from him? Speaking great English does not mean he has great insights. Nowadays we can predict exactly what he can say before any event! And never ever takes a stand, in cricket or in life? The no 1 "Balancer" of our times. Has no opinion on anything! He is just a narrator, like a story book comes to life. But if you are looking for wisdom or insights, please look elsewhere. One of my biggest regret is buying his so called "corporate" book. It was so pukeworthy, that even a 22 yr MBA grad could have written it!

[@IITianProudIndian]

And in contrast have you heard the likes of Sehwag speak? Never afraid to take an opinion. I remember Viru blasting Ravi shastri when he made those big statements 2 years back about the current generation being the best indian team ever! And he had criticised the yo yo tests! Have you ever seen Bhogle take a stand on any of these matters? Every so called opinion he offers if followed by a disclaimer! His motto "Keep everyone happy- Ganguly, vaughan, GK, Joy..." and never even come close to saying anything original other than what we already know..in great english of course :D

[@kza5964]

His “balanced” posture is a direct consequence of his firing in 2016 for rubbing the wrong side of his bosses. So it’s more a reflection of the environment in which he operates. Super star ex-players like Sehwag are not controlled by the same leash.

[@Tzar-Athi]

@@IITianProudIndian I'd love to see you go ballistic at your higher ups when you know you don't have the credentials as your peers, also the fact that he got fired for doing precisely that. What you are ignoring is his role in a commentary box, which is precisely that of a balancer. He's the buffer between the audience and the exoert, which he is not (mostly because the people commentating alongside him have had prolific international careers).

[@Tzar-Athi]

@@IITianProudIndian also, "in great english also" repeated time and again doesn't make it Brutus is an honourable man.

[@mahendra7624]

No duo other than Harsha and Adams is so soothing to listen.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Glad you enjoyed.

[@kapilguhan5455]

90's kids who woke up to Harsha's commentary on overseas tours. Like or comment

[@savin1999]

Adam Collins and Harsha Bhogle are such an amazing combo

[@avakashbhat8229]

True bro true

[@mahamudulhassan5903]

I Just love this man! Will never get tired listening to him.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Yes, that's his power.

[@indrajeetkamat6138]

Harsha has been Harsha... That's why. He's a humble, down to earth, nice guy. He stayed the same, enthusiastic and relatable.

[@coomarasslku]

He is humble ? How else can he be in his role ?

[@tynonhelp8924]

Harsha makes cricket so much enjoyable, it's like hearing a guy who just loves something he does!

[@nigamharia]

The greatest broadcaster ever! Harsha made growing up in 90s & 2000s watching cricket way more enjoyable

[@satijasandeep26]

For the algorithm. More people need to hear this.!

[@FinalWordCricket]

Haha, thanks for that consideration.

[@pwnvrm1008]

If Cricket has any language then Harsha Bhogle is the master of it. He is so genuine that we all can relate with him. There won't be another Harsha, we must admit that.

[@TanvirKhan-ne3cp]

Such a melliferous, blissful, bewitching voice Harsha Bhogle possess! This man is a genuine & sheer gift from the God ! Cricket becomes so soothing with Harsha ! He's not just the voice of India...He's the Voice of Cricket !

[@sayanchatterjee355]

This was a genuinely high quality interview. Harsha is one of the most important figures in the Indian cricket ecosystem. Has been for the last 30 years.

[@gauthamgirishankar4116]

Absolutely loved the Pod! So honest and humble. Has managed to reincarnate himself in an industry where low attention spans are becoming the norm

[@FinalWordCricket]

True that.

[@higherbeingX]

Harsha's control over English language is amazing. He is a great story teller too.Perk of haing a higher IQ

[@Kalyan_17]

Kudos Adam and Geoff!!! As Harsha says, our game needs storytellers and you guys are doing an amazing job telling the stories.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thank you very much. That's why we chose the opening song - Stories. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4LZfKyVq62SicU

[@vasudevdehariya1269]

That is true. There are too many experts on TV commentary these days and not story tellers. I mean yes Punditry is good but the comm box is full of ex cricketers who just get into technical aspect of the game. The storytelling..the wordplay..the poetic theme is being lost in all that.

[@kza5964]

There isn’t a better story teller than Harsha in world cricket. He’s rooted to the ground, always prepared, respectful, & articulate. However, he is more guarded in his criticisms after his 2016 experience. He shouldn’t be!

[@FinalWordCricket]

A good example in all those respects.

[@sugumardevaraj6115]

Wow didn't expect this interview coming

[@FinalWordCricket]

We have lots of surprises.

[@sugumardevaraj6115]

@@FinalWordCricket Bring it on😊

[@pareshpatil2790]

Yes...

[@GauravShetty4]

This is why we need more storytellers. The Final Word podcast is doing a great job in bringing stories to the foreground and pushing stats to the back. Keep going guys!

[@FinalWordCricket]

A good balance of both, that's what we like.

[@rohitashwanigam]

What Sachin is to batting, Harsha is to cricket commentary !

[@kamalrohilla149]

I just read the article geoff and have to say it's relevance is timeless. Its amazing how an article written more than 6 years ago is so applicable in today's time. Hope some of the indian broadcasters read that piece. Really impressed with the shear boldness. Good work

[@FinalWordCricket]

We would guess that the people who need to listen are not likely to listen. But we can hope...

[@rohitmehra8652]

By interviewing a genius like Harsha , you are doing a great service to millions of Cricket fans across the globe ..

[@SaurabhKMusic]

Discovered this now, after 3 years of it being recorded. Got off work at 2 am in India, saw this pop up on KZbin after the India Vs Eng 1st Test highlights and thought of giving it a try and ended up listening to this till the very end. Adam, Geoff and Harsha What Legends of Commentary, Thank for putting this piece together

[@FinalWordCricket]

This is beautiful, glad you found it.

[@nr0101]

This brought back so many memories. As a young kid growing up in India in the 80s we would all hover around a radio and tune into Radio Australia on short wave early morning to listen to commentary. The commentators would paint a picture for us to imagine.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Beautiful.

[@njd5592]

Never seen a person so much down to earth...HE IS TRULY THE VOICE OF CRICKET IN INDIA..

[@sidharthmaverick]

Heard this as a podcast a few months back. I was curious to know more about the presenters and then saw a cric buzz video after the Aussie tour with Adam and Harsha. Adam seems to have the same sort of affection and reverence for the game like Harsha. Truly sooper stuff! Remain humble and continue with such awesome content, guys! Harsha, well, I think everyone acknowledges his genius. He stated the genius tend to work harder. Now we know why he still remains relevant in the game of cricket.

[@mohunsgrschool501]

Harsha should be made chairman of selection board

[@maverick32152]

I’m watching this between the innings. Prefer this over the Sky commentary. This is gold boys. Well done. This man’s a fantastic story teller.

[@harishutd1]

Adam is a legit down to earth guy and is super nice. I met him after the India NZ world cup semis in Manchester. Guy was very polite and amiable even after a long days work. Top bloke.

[@FinalWordCricket]

That's a nice comment, thanks for remembering :)

[@mohammadfarooq5926]

I am so glad this came up on my youtube feed. Harsha Bhogle is simply the best storyteller out there. Easily the best thing I've watched in days.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Lovely to hear. Thank you.

[@anshumanmahanty6044]

Such an engaging conversation. Harsha isn't just the voice of Indian cricket... he's the voice of India's transition...of India's growth story.

[@ketantikekar5759]

Splendid!! Thanks Geoff, thanks Adam! This one means alot. Beautifully compiled, great interview, lovely chat.

[@nachiketdaithankar4405]

Yeah. Adam and Harsha,and now Cool Cat Geoff added to the mix. This is definitely better than any match going on❤️

[@FinalWordCricket]

Haha, thanks.

[@user-po1rs6nw9w]

Captain America : "I can listen to him all day"

[@sohom1308]

@Siddharth Sriram yeah, and that's why he has been a scapegoat made by the BCCI many times and was removed from the commentary panel, just because he didn't oil the stinky feet & ego of those political tycoons who run cricket in India, and only cared about cricket in his entire career. If that's what a legal definition of "being politically correct to further one's career" is, I'd literally want millions of such "politically correct" personalities emerge out of my country every now and then. Will definitely make this country a better place to live and communicate.

[@sathyapradeep1545]

A beautifully set up interview to get the best of our Harsha! Adam, you are a gem. Would love to know more about your journey too.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks Sathya. You could check out the radio documentary about us. www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/earshot/ball-by-bloody-ball-cricket-adam-collins-geoff-lemon/11330002

[@sathyapradeep1545]

@@FinalWordCricket Great , thanks for the share. Looking forward to all your forthcoming content!

[@neilmichael2676]

I still remember my dad in the 80s muting the television and turning on radio to listen to the AIR commentary with the DD broadcast...Ravi Chaturvedi...Anant Setalvad...Sushil Doshi... Narottam Puri. The sad thing is most of them tried their hand at TV commentary...but the magic was clearly missing.

[@16thwarriorz]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@shrijitnair5386]

Amazing interview, full of intellect, Elequonce and modest to summarize. What a beautiful human being Harsha is. Loved the conversation.

[@47rishabh]

THE VOICE of cricket in India for so many years, and such an intellectual. Love you Harsha.

[@leemafashion6628]

But Amitabh hates him.

[@vivekwadhwa8510]

What an orator Harsha sir,because of his commentary I started watching cricket

[@nileshpatil9663]

This is such a bliss to the ears !!! Thank you Adam , made my day.

[@FinalWordCricket]

You're very welcome.

[@Vaibhavkj]

Thanks for providing this for free

[@FinalWordCricket]

It's our pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@idreeskanchwala]

What a beautiful insight into the world of cricket broadcast and you found the right man to express it all. Please continue this. forget increasing your subscribers/likes, m sure there are many like me who are with you LOVING the Game and LOVING what you put out regardless of the numbers. keep it going Adam & Geoff

[@anuraagpeesara6754]

As an aspiring video/audio content creator, I cannot begin to tell how much there is to learn from podcasts. Love listening to your stuff generally, but this has to be the most special of all conversations. Kudos, fellas!

[@FinalWordCricket]

This is great, thanks so much. We love doing this, that's the first step.

[@dastanwala]

Thank you for this amazing chat with one of the most proficient broadcasters of the world. Part of the reason why I watch the Australian matches is because of the quality of commentary and people behind it. Official as well digital.

[@akashnthn7444]

Harsha Bhogle asks the questions that everybody didn't know they had as well until he asked them.

[@AbhishekVerma-jk2tt]

Ahh a philosopher at heart ! Harsha just has a way with words that few in India can churn

[@FinalWordCricket]

He is exactly that.

[@nehamalkhare9213]

So many insights....recounted in such a simple manner...and the voice!!!! Could listen to him all day..👍

[@FinalWordCricket]

Absolutely.

[@nikhilprakash1732]

We need your intellect in the commentary box, Harsha . You are Morgan freeman of cricket narration . Thanks for all the memories.

[@adityabhushan3564]

Man! With all due respect, Harsha's stories sound like my father's story of how he went to school. P. S. Love your commentary Harsha and all the stories you tell about your starting days.

[@mahqindia2414]

Geoff Lemon your voice is so refreshing and soothing to my ears, love the cricket insight given by you and Adam. One of the main highlights of Ind tour of Aus was Adam and Harsha shows.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Nice of you to say these things, thanks.

[@SooperToober]

@@FinalWordCricket hehe...as harsha says, abjure the temptations of fandom mates :)) but...for what it’s worth I think you two are brilliant- bringing eloquent pause to the prosaic and parochial pastime that we collectively indulge in - our common love of this devishly addictive game of cricket.

[@dr.poojanpatel7625]

Did i just watch a 46 minute video of three wonderful people having a chat about their professional lives?

[@absach007]

That voice ..that ability to storytell..and the expression - true class...it is as if language learns how to speak like Harsha.

[@prasunsharma2870]

It's 5 minutes past midnight and i can't stop watching. Thanks Adam and Geoff for this gold.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Who needs sleep?

[@ankitjain424]

Harsha's story is a fairy tale that should be captured on big screen or as a biography some day. Always fascinated by it!

[@joydaniel9065]

46 mins went like a min. Good chat.

[@FinalWordCricket]

We agree, it did :)

[@shrey_kundra]

This is absolute gold. Top tier podcasting content 🔥

[@jollyda]

This was such a great interview. To sum up, he talked about the laidback previous years of Hyderabad, How australian public remembered for his voice (which got recognized in a ice cream) and how he inculcates the thought of being a non striker and yet being effective in your chosen profession, Importance of Egalatarian Society, How to be egoless inspite of achieving superiority and success and more importantly how legendary cricketers should shed their batting averages while commenting as they have to present the story on the field than their superior technical knowledge !! Watch it again and again to have more insights !!!

[@rams2543]

Well articulated.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks for the recap, glad you enjoyed it.

[@Sudip00das]

I just love listening to him. Sports is mainly about emotions than stats.

[@FinalWordCricket]

That's right.

[@pqrstwxyz1175]

But after Sachin we had Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli after Harsha we have no one

[@510Ashwin]

Thanks guys.. always a lovely sight to see Harsha bhogle express his thoughts.. we can listen it for hours..

[@shakirhassan5749]

Harsha is so humble, a ton of respect and love to Harsha from PAK! Easily one of my favorites.

[@SouthPawFrames]

I am watching Ind vs End on mobile, editing some photos on my laptop and listening to Mr Bhogle speak in a tab running in the background. Such a treat it was to listen to him. Enjoyed the podcast to the fullest.

[@FinalWordCricket]

That's a great combination. Thanks.

[@SouthPawFrames]

@@FinalWordCricket Thank you guys for bringing him on. Sorry, should have mentioned that earlier.

[@manojdhami3840]

Listening to Harsha is so soothing that I can listen him for hours without any break. What a down to earth person🙏🙏

[@Arjun.Trivedi]

Harsha is gem of a person! Very nice to hear him speak about his past and also about the controversy.. #shameamitabhbachhan

[@marlegagaming1274]

We need 2020/21 version of this.

[@surajeetsingh1513]

Anyone from... Cricbuzz family..? Harsha and Adam doing the post match analysis after match..or after every day of test matches..?

[@basavarajs.2149]

Wonderful Interview with Harsha being his usual best!! Hats off to both Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins who never came on screen even once. That speaks a lot about their confidence and conviction about themselves. Great job guys! Take a bow!

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks! No need to see us when the subject is what's interesting.

[@siddharthgokhale238]

Great work Geoff and Adam , Harsha Bhogales great contribution to Indian society is that he removed fear from mind of Indian Gen X about English Language through there most loved subject- Cricket . He is God when it comes to cricket commentary . And you three are bramha , Vishnu and Mahesh of cricket storytelling 🙏😀 Looking forward for all the content coming from both of you 👍

[@FinalWordCricket]

Haha, thanks a lot Siddharth, we will try to live up to that description.

[@mittalyash579]

Thanks a lot for this GOLD guys.

[@bondrewd_sama]

I just took a break from the match to watch this.😂

[@FinalWordCricket]

Haha. Good choice!

[@aravindk2012]

It felt like a ted talk...what an inspiration ❤️❤️❤️

[@deepakkumaranantharaman4280]

Wonderful FINAL WORD TEAM. Just awesome combination Harsha bhogle with Adam Collins and Jeff

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks mate.

[@Inaac2008]

The voice of cricket himself! 😍😍😍 Happy surprise Geoff & Adam! You're an inspiration हर्षा सर!

[@FinalWordCricket]

Enjoy :)

[@KailashKumar-dj5ry]

Wow...I wish this was longer...you can't miss a word of this..just fantastic.

[@mahqindia2414]

I grew up watching Harsha on star sports and espn, I use to copy his accent and must have picked up so many words of his, in my vocabulary. Golden age of Indian television was in the 90s when Harsha was the presenter. Lots of love I hope your body and voice hold up for atleast 15 more years to give us your brilliant commentary and story telling.

[@himanshuraj3472]

That idea about a live match having multiple audio options is so interesting , I would love to listen to the pure sound of the bat , ball , spikes , etc . It would be surreal !!!

[@FinalWordCricket]

It would be very relaxing.

[@prithvirajmasal8189]

This is the best podcast of harsha bhogle sir till now... You guys did a brilliant job to bring out the best answers from harsha sir.. Absolutely enjoyed it.. And so insights of life to learn from this podcast.. Well done guys..

[@tawfinging]

This is SUCH a refreshing episode - three folks whom I can listen to hours on end. Geoff and Adam, amazing work! Wish the camera had panned to you guys too, though!

[@FinalWordCricket]

Yes, we only had one camera on a tripod for this. Basic.

[@starlight6594]

Love you both talking

[@bha2686]

Whether it is interviewing or being interviewed, it's always magical listening to Harsha speak. Such an amazing story teller. I wouldn't mind him talk about his daily routine, even if it's boring and just like mine.

[@drikjitaich8334]

Thanks Adam and Geoff for this. Harsha has a beating heart for cricket, I find the same beating heart in you two as well.

[@FinalWordCricket]

That’s a really nice thought. Thanks for sharing it.

[@leonav218]

He started this in 1991 no wonder I've listened to him like forever 😁....Harsha sir is a legendary commentator❤️

[@sariyanapokiri]

What a wonderful 46min conversation! Happy that it was a static camera and the conversation just flowed. Always good to hear Harsha speak his mind!

[@SooperToober]

What a brilliant interview and a fresh perspective on a guy I typically didn’t care for until now. Cheers Harsha - you’re cool mate!

[@FinalWordCricket]

That's a nice thing to read. Glad we could help.

[@Vivek533]

It's all about story telling. Nowadays, we see lots of stats n but most exciting part is listening about the players who are performing

[@weekendresearcher]

Cozy, Candid and Insightful. A gem of a podcast.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks so much.

[@sigmundfraud124]

Great interview guys! Tried to multitask but could not since the discussion was so engaging and from the heart. ❤

[@FinalWordCricket]

Glad to hear it. Sorry about your other tasks.

[@utkarshshinyalok]

I can hear Harsha all day. He is just brilliant and encouraging.

[@mbala68]

THis is a podcast not jsut about cricket. Also about life. Love the way Harsha Bhogle articulates....

[@gauravsagar6238]

This would easily be one of the best cricket interviews I have ever seen. That man is a gem! India is lucky to have him

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thank you, it's easy to interview someone so eloquent.

[@kn0bhe4d]

Harsha is probably the only real cricket commentator we have in India. Gavaskar goes on random tangents a lot of the time, but his insights are really good and he is at his best when his co-commentators are talking about cricket. Harsha on the other hand is always gold when he comes on comms. Amitabh Bachchan and Dhoni can go fuck right off for trying to ruin his career, because Harsha was neutral in his comms. Glad Harsha is back on comms now though.

[@captainkesh]

Gavaskar is so aweful. Omg I can't even

[@yogeshsingh4910]

Just tells the poor standards of English commentary in India if Harsha is the leading voice from India

[@sandipchakraborty6545]

Always a pleasure listening to the Voice of Cricket

[@kurianjob]

Lovely! Just lovely! Don't know what it is about this man! Hard to pinpoint if its the voice or his choice of words or the way he narrates that stands out. An interview done right. Keep up the good work Adam, Geoff and others at Final word. More power to you guys!!

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks a lot, we'll do our best.

[@mallianumula5643]

when I was a kid, we use to watch cricket just to listen to this guy. at least my friend circle. not only that, we followed cricket and him to learn English :) moreover, we understand only Harsha Bhogle English :) we benefited from that, manage to pass class 7, class 10 English .. else it is the most terrible subject to pass. other hand Maths was soo easy. 20 /30 years back English was terrible for rural area students like me.. bcz no single person speak English in our area, not even in school :) terrible days, we use to discuss, who added this English in the studies :) thanks Harsha ...

[@nirajshrestha6334]

Thanks guys for the interview. Its always exciting to hear Harsha Bhogle.

[@kads1784]

Wowww beautiful interview of Harsha Bhogle....His knowledge of cricket and command over language is just impeccable ❤️😎Enjoyed knowing him personally

[@yogeshsingh4910]

Knowledge of cricket? U serious 😂

[@wanderer1856]

Each time I listen to Harsha Bhogle, I realize that there's still hope in the world about honest journalism.

[@hayagreevs1065]

Adam and Geoff, thanks for having the legend. Yet an another laid back and poetic conversation between 3 Wiseman. Was a privilege to hear the hearts speak rather than the minds.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Thanks very much. That's what we hope for.

[@simirreddy5323]

Only half way through this but it's great

[@AliHasan-bw7km]

Harsha bhai, you are legend that's it. Keep creating cricket stories for us and cricket family :) Love from Pakistan 🇵🇰

[@FinalWordCricket]

Lovely. Thanks.

[@shijo2003]

Harsh is a legend in commentary box ... 🙌🙌 always love to hear him

[@blaster1093]

Time to remember some wonderful Indian cricket commentators of yesteryears ..... Dicky Rutnagur Anand Setalvad Raju Bharatan Suresh Saraiya Ashis Ray Narrottam Puri

[@Apna-Cr]

Add J.P. Narayanan

[@ravitejaariga3810]

Thanks Guys, just needed 5 min break from work, this video popped on KZbin and pretty much had to click on it and BOOM.. 45 mins passed by..now i had to work the extra 40 mins..Alas.

[@FinalWordCricket]

Haha, a shame about the work.

[@ananddesai8431]

Nice job on getting Harsha on, awesome interview