Xtra Time Web Desk: Kolkata Knight Riders management is not happy with the surface provided to them for their home matches at Eden Gardens for the ongoing IPL 2023 season. KKR captain Nitish Rana has openly criticized the wicket at Eden Gardens after the win against Chennai Super Kings. Rana was quoted as saying that every team in IPL enjoys home advantage except KKR. Reacting to Rana’s comment, CAB pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee to Xtra Time said, there is no such rule that the wickets must be prepared according to the franchise’s liking.
With the IPL 2023 PlayOffs at stake, will KKR get a wicket suited to their slow bowlers for the final home game at Eden Gardens, that is a big question. Historically the franchise has been dependent on spinners for their success. The two times KKR won the IPL titles in 2012 & 2014, on both occasions they have quality spinners in Sunil Narine, Shakib al Hasan and Piyush Chawla.
In recent years, Eden Gardens has produced sporting wickets and the proof is the state association have been rewarded by BCCI. The wicket offers bounce and carry unlike what it used to be, slow and low surfaces.
Except Varun Chakravarthy, who has picked 19 wickets in the ongoing season so far and to some extent Suyash Sharma (10), none of the slow bowlers performed. Sunil Narine has been a pale shadow of himself. So, outrightly blaming the Eden Gardens wicket is also not fair.
Come, Saturday (May 20) it goes to be seen if the home team gets any assistance from the 22 yards in the must win game against Lucknow Super Giants.