“Just move the franchise away to somewhere else” - Former pacer blasts Eden Gardens pitch curator over controversial remarks during IPL 2025

Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull has urged the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to shift their home base away from the Eden Gardens if they fail to secure pitches of their demand during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had demanded more assistance to the spinners from the surface after the loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), but the curator dismissed those claims.

KKR spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy could not make an impression while defending the 175 runs during the season opener. The pair finished with combined figures of 1-70 off their eight overs as RCB chased down the total in the 17th over itself.

During the post-match presentation, Rahane had lamented the lack of purchase for the spinners from the Eden Gardens surface.

"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," Rahane had said.

In response, Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee defended the pitch by blaming KKR spinners for their poor bowling, and asserted that there will be no change as to how the surfaces were being prepared.

“As per the IPL rules and regulations, franchises have no say over the pitch. 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," Mukherjee said in an interview with RevSportz.

“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," he added.

Simon Doull opined that the curator should factor in what the franchise needs from the pitch, since that is the bedrock to establish a crucial home advantage.

"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," Doull said on Cricbuzz (via Hindustan Times)

"His job is not to pass an opinion on the game. That's not what he's paid for," he added.

KKR have played 89 matches at their iconic home venue, out of which they have won 52 games, giving them a win percentage of 58.4. Their dominant record at the Eden Gardens played a huge role in their title triumph last season. They lost only 2 home matches, both of which were courtesy of freak run chases by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Nitish Rana had also complained of a lack of home advantage at Eden Gardens in IPL 2023

KKR have often used their spin-heavy bowling attack to make an impression at their home ground. But, on some occasions, they have not been pleased with the type of pitches they have been provided.

Similar to the ongoing conundrum in 2025, former KKR captain Nitish Rana, who was leading the side in Shreyas Iyer's absence in the 2023 season, expressed his disappointment with the nature of the Eden Gardens surface.

"I think every team has a home advantage except KKR," Rana had said after KKR's win over CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium during IPL 2023.

In the 2023 season, where KKR finished seventh on the points table, they won only two matches at home.