KKR told to move out of Kolkata after pitch curator disrespects Ajinkya Rahane: 'He's not paid to pass his opinion'
Simon Doull was so displeased with Eden Gardens curator's comments that he suggested KKR move out of Kolkata to a venue where they would get a 'home advantage'.
It's still early days in IPL 2025, but the Kolkata Knight Riders camp is not entirely pleased with the surface dished out at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Curator Sujan Mukherjee made it clear that there won't be any changes in the nature of the Eden Gardens surface, which produces bounce, carry, and movement to the seamers, when he brushed aside KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane's request for pitches that aid the home side's spinners more. The veteran curator's comments did not go down well with former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull and renowned broadcaster Harsha Bhogle. Doull was so displeased that he suggested KKR move out of Kolkata to a venue where they would get a 'home advantage'.
After KKR bounced back from a daunting defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at home to beat Rajasthan Royals in their away game, Bhogle and Doull slammed Mukherjee for showing no regard to KKR's 'home advantage'. Bhogle said Rahane did not ask for a rank-turner. All he wanted was a surface that would aid his spinners more. KKR historically have been a team with quality spinners. The franchise's golden days came under Gautam Gambhir when they won two titles in 2012 and 2014 using spinners on a different-looking Eden surface.
"RR, if they are playing at home, should get the tracks that they think are suited for their bowlers. So too with KKR. I saw something what the KKR curator has said. If I'm in the KKR camp, I'm extremely unhappy of what he said because I'm not asking for a 120 surface. I'm just saying, give me a surface where my bowlers can win matches. To say, 'sorry, we don't prepare pitches like that...' No. We are not asking you to make a 120 pitch, we are not asking you to make a 240 pitch. But I think home advantage in a tournament like IPL is absolutely legitimate. That will enhance the tournament because winning away becomes crucial then," Bhogle said in a Cricbuzz show.
What Ajinkya Rahane said and what Eden curator replied with
After RCB hammered KKR on a placid Eden surface in the first match of IPL 2025, captain Rahane talked about the need for pitches that would assist their spinners more. “We would love to see the pitch helping the spin bowlers but again, this wicket was under covers for the last one-and-a-half days,” he said at the post-match press conference, adding: “Both the spinners we have, the quality they have, they can bowl in any kind of wicket and I am sure they are confident as well.”
Sujan Mukherjee, who replaced Prabir Mukherjee as the chief curator of Eden Gardens following the latter's resignation after a washout game between India and South Africa in 2015, said he would not change the pitch based on the franchise's request. “As per the IPL rules and regulations, franchises have no say over the pitch,” he told RevSportz. “Ever since I have taken charge (as Eden curator), the pitches here have been like this. It was like this in the past. Things haven’t changed now, and it will not be altered in the future.”
The veteran curator even pointed out that the RCB spinners got wickets. “Their (RCB) spinners took four wickets between them,” he said. “What did the KKR spinners do? Krunal Pandya got three wickets. Suyash Sharma turned the ball to castle Andre Russell.”
Doull wants KKR to find a new home
Doull said KKR should consider playing their home matches elsewhere if the curator refuses to help them.
"If he's not taking heed of what the home team wants... I mean they are paying the stadium fees, they are paying for what's going on in the IPL but if he's still not paying heed of what the home team wants, then just move the franchise away to somewhere else.
"His job is not to pass an opinion on the game. That's not what he's paid for," he added.
"I can understand if the KKR captain says, take all the grass out, rough it up, make it unplayable. No, he's not asking for that. He's just saying give me a track which is spinner friendly. Chennai is going to be a 160 pitch. As soon as the MI vs CSK match was over, Ashwin and Vijay Shankar the local boys were close to the surface, talking to the curator. There is nothing illegitimate about that; you must have a home advantage, and that is very good to have," Bhogle said.
