'Move the franchise away': Simon Doull & Harsha Bhogle slam Eden Gardens curator over KKR pitch drama

Ahead of KKR’s home fixture against RCB, reports surfaced that pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee had turned down skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s request for a spin-friendly track. Addressing the concerns, Mukherjee reportedly said that the pitch would not change "as long as" he is there.

However, after a shaky start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with a loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) found their rhythm with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals at Guwahati’s ACA Stadium.

The controversy sparked a debate, with former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull criticizing the curator’s stance and suggesting drastic action. “If he’s (the curator) 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,” Doull said on Cricbuzz.


Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle echoed Doull’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of home advantage. “If they are playing at home, [they] should get the tracks that they think are suited for their bowlers. I saw something [about] what the KKR curator has said,” Bhogle said.

“If I’m in the KKR camp, I’m extremely unhappy [with] 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,” he added.