'Don't know whether control is with franchise in other states' - Chandrakant Pandit opines on Eden Gardens pitch controversy

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit has commented on the ongoing debate about the Eden Gardens pitch, stating that while he would prefer conditions that favour his team, the franchise does not have control over pitch preparation.

The debate over home advantage in the IPL has gained attention in the 2025 season, with several captains and coaches expressing concerns over pitch conditions. Knight Riders has played two matches so far, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens before securing an away win against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. The loss at home raised questions about whether KKR was able to utilize home conditions effectively, particularly after spinner Varun Chakravarthy struggled, conceding 43 runs in four overs.

KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane had previously voiced his desire for pitches that help his team's bowling attack. However, Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee revealed that franchises do not have a say in pitch preparation, citing BCCI guidelines that place the responsibility solely in the hands of venue curators under the supervision of the board’s appointed officials.

"Who will not be happy about that? I mean, this is a simple answer. See, as a coach, as a team management, whatever the surface has been provided to us, we play. The control, of course, that will be under [the] curator. And at this moment, the focus is definitely going to be on the next game tomorrow which we are playing [against MI]," said Pandit as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Probably we expect something helpful to be provided: Chandrakant Pandit

Furthermore, Pandit mentioned whether KKR had control over the Eden Gardens pitch and asked about how different states manage their venues.

"No. In charge of everything at the ground… I don't know. That doesn't mean that they [the franchises] have a control of preparing wickets. I mean, ultimately, I don't know what is the system in different states or different grounds, whether the control is with the franchise. But, at the moment, what I understand is the surface which is given to us, as a team management, as a coach, as a captain, probably we expect something [helpful] to be provided. So, that's all," he added.

Earlier, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming criticized the lack of home advantage at Chepauk, stating that his team had struggled to predict how the pitches would behave. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans' assistant coach Parthiv Patel admitted that his team had requested a black-soil pitch against the Mumbai Indians, specifying the inconsistencies in how home conditions are managed across different franchises.