Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has weighed in on the ongoing debate about pitch preparation in the 2025 Indian Premier League, asserting that while franchises should have some influence, the BCCI must retain a degree of oversight to maintain fairness and prevent excessive home advantage.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s IPL show Time Out, Bangar emphasized the importance of balancing soil characteristics with a standardized approach to pitch conditions. He argues that giving franchises complete control over pitch preparation could potentially lead to an unfair imbalance.
“I think BCCI would still like to have a little bit of control over it and maintain the characteristics of a particular surface," said Bangar.
"If you totally give it to the hands of the franchise, you do not really want the game to be too lopsided as well, so I'm of the opinion [of having] a little bit of uniformity wherein not having too much of a say for the home side, still there is enough variety in terms of the vast nature of our country wherein cricket is played all across the nation, in itself has variations in terms of red soil, black soil and all of that. I'm of the opinion that a little bit of direction or guideline is always better,” Bangar stated.
He also pointed out the logistical difficulties of altering pitch characteristics at certain venues, providing an example of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where the dimensions of the ground limit pitch variety.
{{/usCountry}}He also pointed out the logistical difficulties of altering pitch characteristics at certain venues, providing an example of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where the dimensions of the ground limit pitch variety.
{{/usCountry}}“In RCB, Chinnaswamy, there are only two pitches on which you can play games because of the size of the ground, and generally, you can't have a lot of variation [between] those two surfaces because it is practically impossible to do that,” he added.
Pitch debate
The discussion around pitch preparation has been a significant talking point in IPL 2025, with various team managements offering differing perspectives.
Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit claimed that his franchise has little to no say over pitch conditions at Eden Gardens. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings’ head coach Stephen Fleming has dismissed the notion that CSK enjoys a substantial home advantage at Chepauk, citing their own struggles in reading their home surfaces in recent seasons.
Lucknow Super Giants mentor Zaheer Khan recently suggested that the Ekana Stadium pitch seemed as though it had been curated by the opposition team’s groundsman, following LSG’s defeat to Punjab Kings.