The aftermath of Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) close four-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday at Eden Gardens has sparked a major controversy, particularly surrounding the pitch. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, during the post-match press conference, avoided directly commenting on the pitch conditions or the alleged “home advantage,” suggesting that it might lead to unrest. However, he didn’t hold back from criticizing Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee, labeling him as “publicity-hungry” on two occasions. Rahane pointedly stated, “Our curator loves getting publicity too!”

But the drama didn’t stop there. On Wednesday, reports surfaced about a tense moment on the field after the game. Bengali newspaper Sangbad Pratidin revealed that a senior KKR official sarcastically “congratulated” a current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) official, leaving him confused. When asked for clarification, the KKR official reportedly responded, “You won the match, didn’t you? That’s why I’m congratulating you!” To add to the tension, the KKR official allegedly suggested, in a mocking manner, that the Player of the Match award should go to the Eden curator.

The report indicated that those who witnessed the incident found the situation quite embarrassing. A former Bengal cricketer, who is well-connected in India’s cricket scene, expressed his frustration on Wednesday afternoon, directing blame at captain Rahane and the KKR management.

"By making these excuses, KKR is only complicating their situation," he pointed out. "They’ve never acknowledged that their poor batting order was a factor in the loss to Lucknow. This allows the players to escape accountability too easily. No one is addressing their shortcomings. The players have figured out that if they lose at Eden, they can just blame the pitch and move on." Clearly frustrated, he mentioned that KKR has minimal ties to Bengal cricket outside of the two-month IPL season. "They don’t bring in anyone from Bengal for the team—no players or support staff. If they had a local in their support team, they could have handled the pitch issue much better."

The former cricketer used Gujarat Titans as an example, highlighting how they dealt with a similar pitch problem last year but quickly fixed it by adding Parthiv Patel to their team, which helped them avoid further issues. "KKR could definitely take a lesson from that," he said.

Ground Measurements Under Review

The pitch's characteristics have stirred up some discussion, particularly regarding its size. In Tuesday's game, it was reported that Eden Gardens had one boundary measuring 57 meters and another at 70 meters, which caught Rahane's attention during the toss. However, curator Sujan Mukherjee denied these claims on Wednesday, clarifying that the shorter boundary was actually 65 meters and the longer one 72 meters, with both sides measuring 70 meters along the square. To support his point, Mukherjee mentioned that he had recorded every six hit during the match, stating, “Except for one or two, every six went over 75 meters.”

What's in Store?

KKR's upcoming home game is set for April 21 against the Gujarat Titans, and everyone's curious about how the Eden pitch will be prepped. Will it provide the spin KKR is hoping for? Some officials from the CAB have warned that making a pitch with excessive turn at Eden isn't feasible and could harm the surface, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up next year, which will also host matches there. “What happens if the ICC gets upset about the pitch?” one official questioned. Still, they suggested a possible solution—less watering and rolling to achieve some spin without going overboard, aiming for a balanced approach.

As the situation around the Eden Gardens pitch unfolds, the big question is whether KKR and the CAB can reach an agreement, or if the finger-pointing will continue. For now, the debate doesn’t seem to be dying down.

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