Kolkata Knight Riders Coach Has His Say On IPL 'Pitch' Controversy: "Who Will Not Be Happy..."

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit on Sunday supported the idea of teams having greater control over the nature of pitches at their home venues, saying they too "expect something to be provided” at Eden Gardens. The nature of the pitch at KKR's home venue has been in discussion ever since captain Ajinkya Rahane wished getting more support for his spinners at the Eden Gardens. “As a coach, as a team management, we always… whatever the surface has been provided to us, we play. The control, of course, that will be under curator,” Pandit told the media on Sunday.

Pandit, who refrained from making any definite comments on the topic, said any team including KKR would like to play on pitches that support their skills.

“At this moment, my focus is definitely going to be in the next game tomorrow which we are playing,” he said ahead of the clash against Mumbai Indians here.

“At the moment, I am definitely not thinking on what has to be done, what is in whose control. But, let us focus on tomorrow's game which is very crucial for us.

“I don't know what is the system in different states or different grounds where the control is over the franchise. But, at the moment, what I understand is the surface which is given to us, probably, of course, as a team management, as a coach, as a captain, we expect something to be provided. That's all,” he said.

When asked if IPL teams in general should receive more favorable pitches at their home venues for seven out of 14 league matches, Pandit replied, “Who will not be happy about that? I mean, this is a simple answer."

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