The question of home advantage in the 2025 IPL season won't go away anytime soon. Following the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) four-run defeat to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, captain Ajinkya Rahane took aim at Sujan Mukherjee, the local curator. When questioned if the reigning champions have adequate home advantage during the post-match press conference, Rahane responded sharply.
The whole issue began when KKR lost the tournament opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Rahane has stated that he wanted to help spinners and watch the Eden Gardens pitch. Sujan Mukherjee, however, stated that he will just follow the BCCI's instructions and is not required to change the pitch's condition in accordance with the hosts.
But after receiving criticism on social media, Sujan Mukherjee changed his mind and stated that he would be open to creating a spinning track for KKR in Kolkata. But the spinners didn't have much to contribute in the match versus LSG.
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When asked about the lack of home advantage, Rahane replied, "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."
"You can write anything you want to about the home advantage. If I have to say anything about the home advantage, I'll probably speak to the governing council or the concerned authorities than to speak here," he added.
Rahane didn't hold back when asked how he felt about the spinners' performance, responding: “Firstly there was no help for the spinners. Let me clear that.”
Rahane was also questioned about his thoughts on the Kolkata crowd's lack of support for KKR when the Chennai Super Kings or RCB visit the city. Rahane asserted that it's critical to comprehend the contributions made by MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to the nation. It follows that every time the duo performs in Kolkata, the crowd want to cheer them on.
"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.
KKR, the defending champions, lost to the Lucknow Super Giants by four runs, their third defeat of the 2025 IPL season. KKR were unable to chase down 239 despite the valiant efforts of Rahane and Rinku Singh.
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