IPL 2025 | 'They do not pay the curators,' Ex-India coach against franchises asking for tailor-made pitches at home

Former India coach Sanjay Bangar says that Board on Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should have a say in pitches at the venues in Indian Premier League (IPL). The statement comes after KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane and LSG mentor Zaheer Khan calling the respective curators out for the pitches after losing their home games.

"The thing is, the franchise pays a particular fee to the venue," Bangar said. "They do not own the ground, they do not pay the curators. I think there would be a time and place [in the future] where the franchise may have their own grounds, may have their own groundstaff, and then they can [make pitches to] order. At the moment, they're just living on rent, so to say. So when you live on rent, you can't totally make a lot of changes," said Bangar on ESPNCricinfo.

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"I think still BCCI would like to have a little bit of control over it, and maintain the characteristics of a particular surface," Bangar added. "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."

The hue and cry about pitches is becoming louder with each passing day with BBCI asking for better communication regarding the same.

“The pitches have been good so far. Hence, they may be asking for pitches that have more help for bowlers. But there needs to be better communication between the franchise and the curators. It can’t happen within a week of the IPL season,” a BCCI source said as quoted by TOI.