Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane took aim at Eden Gardens’ curator Sujan Mukherjee following KKR’s narrow loss to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025.
Ajinkya Rahane Criticizes Eden Gardens Pitch After KKR’s Loss to LSG
The debate over home advantage in IPL 2025 continues to spark controversy. After Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) narrow four-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Eden Gardens on Tuesday, captain Ajinkya Rahane took aim at the local curator, Sujan Mukherjee, during the post-match press conference.
The issue began after KKR’s loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the tournament opener, where Rahane had expressed hopes for a pitch that would favor spinners. Mukherjee, however, stated he wasn’t obliged to alter the pitch to suit the hosts and would only follow BCCI directives. Following backlash on social media, Mukherjee seemed to soften his stance, indicating he was open to creating a spinning track for KKR. However, the pitch in the match against LSG offered little assistance to the spinners.
When questioned about the perceived lack of home advantage, Ajinkya Rahane responded, “There has been enough talk about the wicket. You guys have spoken about it a lot. If I say something now, then the furore will erupt. Our curator has gotten a lot of publicity. I think he is happy with that publicity.”
Regarding the performance of the spinners, Rahane didn’t hold back, saying, “Firstly, there was no help for the spinners. Let me clear that.”
Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have done a lot
During the press conference, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane was asked about the Kolkata crowd’s apparent lack of support for KKR when high-profile teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) come to town. Rahane emphasized the respect fans have for players like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, given their contributions to Indian cricket.
“You spoke about Virat and MS. They have done so much for the country. So it is normal for people to come out here and support them. It is totally normal. KKR support has been amazing,” said Rahane. “They are always behind us. The atmosphere and energy have been amazing. When Virat or MS come here, it is normal for people to support them,” he added.
Despite a spirited effort from Rahane and Rinku Singh, KKR suffered their third loss of the IPL 2025 season, falling short by four runs in a high-scoring thriller against Lucknow Super Giants. KKR failed to chase down a daunting target of 239, despite some heroic performances.