The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to ban commentators Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull from covering matches at Kolkata's Eden Gardens due to their outspoken criticism of the pitch preparation.
This move comes after the commentators suggested relocating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) due to the curator's refusal to prepare pitches as per the franchise's requests.
According to a report by RevSportz, the CAB has submitted a strongly worded letter to the BCCI. It urges the board to prevent Bhogle and/or Doull from commentating during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season at Eden Gardens.
During a session on Cricbuzz, Doull opined that if the curator at Eden Gardens continues to disregard the home team's wishes, KKR should consider changing their home ground. Doull expressed that the curator's role is to accommodate the home team's preferences, as they finance the use of the stadium during the IPL. "If he's still not paying heed to what the home team wants, then just move the franchise away to somewhere else," Doull commented, emphasizing that the curator should not impose his opinions on the game.
Harsha Bhogle also shared a similar viewpoint, stating that a home team should have a pitch tailored to benefit their bowlers. "I saw something about what the KKR curator has said," Bhogle noted.
However, the CAB is backing curator Mukherjee, asserting that he is adhering to official BCCI guidelines, which prohibit franchises from dictating the specific nature of pitch preparation. KKR’s captain, Ajinkya Rahane, reportedly requested a spin-friendly wicket to support their key bowlers such as Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, but the pitch often ended up being more conducive to pace, resulting in high-scoring matches.
The CAB insists that the curator has followed the rules regarding pitch preparation. As of now, no official statement has been issued by the BCCI. Nonetheless, it has been reported that Bhogle and Doull are unlikely to commentate on the upcoming KKR match against the Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens on Monday.
In addition, it’s noteworthy that Eden Gardens is set to host the IPL 2025 final on May 25, which adds another layer of significance to this ongoing debate.