KKR has already endured a poor start to IPL 2025, where they lost to RCB in their opening encounter, and now the Eden Gardens pitch curator has turned down skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s request, to make it a spinning-wicket. Sujan Mukherjee, the in-charge of the pitch in Kolkata, made it clear that the nature of wicket won’t be changed.
Not Great News for KKR
Eden Gardens' pitch curator has no intention of changing the way how the pitch will play in Kolkata
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) March 26, 2025#AjinkyaRahane #KKR #RRvKKR #IPL #IPL2025 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/3FNuRrxyEf
“As long as I’m here, Eden Gardens pitch will not change,” said Mukherjee. “As per the IPL rules and regulations, franchises have no say over the pitch. Ever since I have taken charge, the pitches here have been like this. It was like this in the past. Things haven’t changed now, and it will not be altered in the future.”
That could in-turn, cost KKR big. Varun Chakravarthy is their main strike-bowler and despite bagging wickets at Eden, he hasn’t been the most economical. Brilliant usually, there have been matches, where he has gone for plenty.
Varun Chakravarthy Could Leak Runs at Eden
Last year, Chakravarthy was expensive a couple of times in Kolkata, which just shows the problem is real. Against SRH last year, the Indian gave away 55 runs for one wicket in four overs. Then against Punjab Kings, he went on to leak 46 runs in three overs, and the opposition chased down 262. In fact, in all the matches that the mystery spinner has played at the venue, he has been quite expensive.
Stadium-wise Comparison
In 16 matches, he has bagged 22 wickets, but his economy rate has been up at 9.12. This is highest among all the major venues where he has played his IPL matches so far. At Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy, his economy is 7.83, while at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, it is 8.50.
| Ground | Matches | Economy |
| Eden Gardens | 16 | 9.12 |
| DY Patil | 4 | 8.50 |
| M Chinnaswamy | 2 | 7.83 |
| MA Chidambaram | 6 | 7.86 |
| Narendra Modi Stadium | 4 | 7.93 |
| Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium | 1 | 8.25 |
| Ekana Stadium | 1 | 10 |
In Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, his economy is only 7.86, and at the Narendra Modi Stadium it is only 7.93. At Wankhede, he is a different beast, and gives away only 6.50 runs on an average, in an over. But Eden Gardens will remain a problem for him.
