Eden Gardens Curator’s U-Turn After Row Over Denying KKR Captain Ajinkya Rahane’s Pitch Request

Sujan Mukherjee, pitch curator in Eden Gardens, received a lot of backlash after denying Captain Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Ajinkya Rahane, to prepare a track adapted to a spin. After KKR’s great defeat against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 opening match, Rahane expressed his frustration about the field used for the game and hoped to see a track adapted to Eden Gardens. “We would be delighted to see the field helping spin quarrels, but again, this counter was covered during the last days and a half. The two spinners we have, the quality they have, they can have a bowl in any type of window and I am sure they are also confident,” said Rahane, which was quoted after the match.

Addressing Revsportz, Mukherjee said he was not going to make changes and even gave the example of RCB spinners.

“According to IPL’s rules and regulations, franchises have no say in the field. Since I took care of (as Eden curator), the locations here were like that. It was like that in the past. Things have not changed now, and that will not be changed in the future,” Mukherjee told Revsportz.

“Their spinners (RCB) took four counters between them. What did the KKR spinners did? Krunal Pandya obtained three counters. Suyash Sharma turned the ball into Château Andre Russell.”

However, Mukherjee, who faced a lot of flak on his remarks, made a step back from his previous remarks, saying that he had never denied any KKR request.

“No official or player asked for the requirement of Pitch for the first match. A coach at the time of training asked me for the behavior of the field. I said Ghumega Bhi Aur Accha Chalega (the field will turn, and it will be good for the striker),” Mukherjee told Sports Tak.

Mukherjee also insisted that he had good relations with everyone at KKR, adding that the land was prepared in accordance with the BCCI directives.

“I have never denied anything in KKR. We have been in good relations for a long time. I have prepared the field according to the directives of the BCCI. Those who accuse me do not know anything,” he added.

The old New Zealand stimulator Simon Doull had exploded Mukherjee for having denied KKR’s demand, adding that the franchise should move away from the Eden gardens if they do not get the ground according to their taste.

“If he (the curator) does not take into account what the home team wants … I mean, they pay stadium costs, they pay for what is happening in IPL, but if he still does not take into account what the home team wants, then keep the franchise away elsewhere.”

“His work is not to transmit an opinion on the game. This is not what he paid for,” Doull told Cricbuzz

After losing against RCB in their opening match, KKR recorded his first victory of the season, on the road, against the Royals of Rajasthan in Gowahati.