It’s not a new development in the Indian Premier League, and in the 2025 edition, it hasn’t taken long for the debate around the Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata to resurface. Defending champions KKR lost the tournament opener at home last Saturday against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but got back to winning ways in Guwahati on a track that assisted their slower bowlers.
“We’d love to see the pitch helping the spin bowlers,” captain Ajinkya Rahane had said with a smile after the RCB defeat, “but this was pitch under cover for a day and a half, and there was some moisture. Again, we’d love to see some spin, but no complaints. Both spinners can do well on any kind of wicket.” Reportedly, Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee has once again said he will not alter the nature of the pitch to suit a franchise’s preferences.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), former Bengal wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami said it is nothing new for KKR’s curator to be at loggerheads with the demands of a skipper leading a home side at the venue.
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“Fact: Nothing new with the Eden garden curator not listening to the home captain. Having played for Bengal for over a decade, have been witness to this from close quarters. As a home team, we would ask for a certain pitch to take the home advantage but would seldom get it. In fact the curator wouldn’t even let us train at the Eden Gardens, or run rounds because, apparently, the grass would be spoiled. On the other hand, I would see my counterpart Karnataka players running around (the outfield) at Chinaswamy Stadium.”
On Facebook, Goswami elaborated a bit more: “It’s a no-brainer – give the home team what they want without any question. Remember last year as well, Nitish Rana, in a post-match interview complained about the same.”
In 2023, then captain Rana had said: “It feels like other franchises in the league have home advantage, except KKR.”
Goswami made his first-class debut for Bengal in November 2008 and last played for Mizoram in January 2023. In the IPL, he played one season for KKR in 2011, apart from stints with RCB, RR and SRH.
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