IPL 2025: Ex-Bengal batter backs claims against KKR pitch curator, says ‘Nothing new…’

Plenty is brewing up in the KKR pitch curator controversy since it broke the internet with startling revelations. After Kolkata Knight Riders’ seven-wicket loss at home against the touring Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2025 opener, team captain Ajinkya Rahane expressed preferences of having desired pitches (spin-friendly) at Eden Gardens, with several reports claiming that the KKR pitch curator denied accepting any requests in the first place.

Relying on their master spin attack to win IPL matches, as they have always done, the Kolkata side failed to pocket two crucial points after the KKR pitch curator prepared a contrasting track (for that game), which had pace, bounce and seam movement but nothing that the team captain had asked for.

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“As per the IPL rules and regulations, franchises have no say over the pitch,” Sujan Mukherjee, the KKR pitch curator, said in a chat with 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.”

Such remarks led to a backlash, with famous broadcasters Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull coming down hard on him for bossing around and denying the home team captain’s request.

Although Mukherjee took a U-turn when approached about his thoughts on facing wrath from all quarters, saying, ‘he never denied anything (to KKR) and that he prepared the pitch as per BCCI guidelines,’ a former Bengal batter Shreevats Goswami’s social media post further put the pitch curator controversy in the limelight.

What did Goswami say?

Taking to his social media handle X, Goswami wrote what unfolded was not new to him as he had watched everything happening from close quarters.

“Fact: Nothing new with the Eden garden curator not listening to the home captain. Having played for Bengal 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 in the Eden Gardens, run rounds cause apparently the “grass would spoiled “. On the other hand I would see my counterpart Karnatakaplayers running around in Chinnaswamy Stadium! #EdenGardens #curator #KKR #pitch

Fact : Nothing new with the Eden garden curator not listening to the home captain. Having played for bengal 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.Infact the…

Meanwhile, KKR won their second game against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, winning two points.

(With inputs from agencies)