Eden Gardens' pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee has been in the news lately for rejecting Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane's plea for spin-friendly surface.
Defending champions KKR opened their IPL 2025 campaign with a seven-wicket home defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
After the game, Rahane said: “We would love to see the pitch helping the spin bowler,s but again, this wicket was undercover for the last one-and-a-half days. Both the spinners we have, the quality they have, they can bowl in any kind of wicket and I am sure they are confident as well.”
However, Mukherjee made it clear that there would not be any changes to the nature of the pitch. He mentioned that as per IPL rules, franchises don’t have a say in pitches and as long as he was there, the surfaces won’t change.
This prompted even commentators like Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull to share their opinions. Doull recommended the KKR to leave Kolkata if the crisis persisted while also adding that the franchise pays the stadium fees and, as the home team, should have a role in how the surface is prepared.
Despite the outrage, Mukherjee doesn't feel he needs to listen to what Harsha and Doull have to say on the topic.
"As per the BCCI guidelines, it is clearly mentioned that the pitch and ground preparation for all IPL regular season matches is the responsibility of the chief curator of the host association under the guidance from the BCCI-appointed venue curator, and they will be the sole decision-maker regarding the nomination of practice and match pitches, as is the case for first-class matches in India. It is also instructed that the franchises and players shall not have any say in the preparation of the wicket. The BCCI chief curator is available to give any advice that is required and will also be able to intervene if any issues arise," the curator said in a chat with RevSportz.
"I do not have to bother about what Harsha Bhogle or Simon Doull said. What matters to me is what the spectators and my association say about the wicket. I am accountable to the BCCI for producing a good sporting wicket."
Sujan Mukherjee further stated that he felt sad to hear some of the comments that were made about him when the controversy broke out.
"I do not follow social media. But when I heard what was being said about me, it felt bad. I have always tried to prepare a sporting track where there is something for everyone - batters, pacers and spinners," he said.
The curator reiterated his stance that the Eden Gardens track has what it takes for the spinners to succeed and put the onus on KKR to get the best out of them.
"There was turn on offer in the pitch for the first match against RCB. And KKR have good pacers in their side like last season. All I am trying to say is if you watch the first match, there was some turn as well, especially the way Andre Russell got dismissed. I repeat that there was spin on offer for the first game against RCB. It is up to the players to utilise the conditions," he remarked.
"There has been help for the spinners here. If we make rank turners, then it might backfire. Spectators come to the ground to watch a good entertaining cricket where there is help for everyone. There will be a bit more help for the spinners in the upcoming matches," he said.
"Everyone is welcome to me. Even the association is always willing to help. There has always been a good rapport between the state association (CAB) and the franchise. The KKR management also has a fair idea about the wicket and conditions on offer at Eden over the last few seasons since I took charge. Once the team returns from Mumbai, surely, we can have a discussion and I will see what best I can do."
