Kolkata : Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Pitch Curator Sujan Mukherjee has opened up on nature of Pitch in IPL 2025.
The Pitch of Kolkata Knight Rider’s (KKR) home ground saw great run fest last year with 200+ being scored in almost every match, a shift in nature compared to previous year’s, even contradictory to World Cup 2023, where scoring runs at Eden looked difficult. It also saw 262 being chased down by Punjab Kings against KKR in IPL 2024, highest chase in T20 Cricket till date.
Sujan Mukherjee revealed that this year the Pitch has become more lively.
“The Eden pitch has become more lively now. Earlier it was slow and turning. It turns now too. The players like to play on this wicket”, Sujan said in an interview.
Regarding whether this year there’ll be more 200-220 runs on an average in Eden Gardens, Sujan said, “There should be. We work really hard. My boys work really hard. Therefore, won’t God listen to our prayers?”
Taking Bowler’s point of view he also stated that the Pitch helps both pacers and spinners to that extent that there’s no grievances from any bowlers or team management.
“The pitch helps both pacers and spinners. There have been no grievances from any bowler, team management or batsman. Therefore, I feel the pitches are good”, he said.
Regarding favouring KKR, the home team, with favourable Pitch Or being asked to do so, Sujan said that neither did he do so nor anyone from team management asked him.
“I have a very good relationship with KKR. They have never told me to prepare the pitch like this or that. Sometimes they say ‘Sujan sir thoda dekh lena’. I tell them you have bought these expensive players, tell them to play well”, Sujan stated.
Sujan also said that he advised KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit to use Venkatesh Iyer well, he’ll give KKR desirable results. After Venkatesh played well last year, Chandrakant thanked Sujan.
“Last year I told Chandrakant Pandit to use Venkatesh Iyer well. He will give you results. Venkatesh played well so Chandrakant thanked me when we met this year”, he revealed.
Sujan also went on saying that he and Shah Rukh Khan, KKR owner, are like brothers.
“I have a very good relationship with Shah Rukh Khan. We are like brothers.”
He also revealed that Gautam Gambhir, previous year’s KKR Mentor, instrumental in title winning, messaged Sujan ‘Dada, I’m missing you’.
“Gautam Gambhir messaged me day before yesterday. He said, ‘Dada, I am missing you’. I had actually said to him that KKR is starting their practice today but you aren’t here so he also said he is missing us all“, said Sujan.
KKR, defending champion, will begin their campaign from 22 March, 2025 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
