Zaheer Khan, the bowling coach for the Lucknow Super Giants, is the most recent to voice his displeasure with the home field. Zaheer yelled at the pitch curator after they were thrashed by the Punjab Kings, saying that it appeared the Punjab curator had set up the field at Ekana Stadium. Zaheer is not the only one who has voiced his displeasure this season. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, and Stephen Fleming, the coach of the Chennai Super Kings, have both criticized the home conditions. These have all had one thing in common: franchises have preferred slow turners to Indian Premier League teams known for their strong hitting.
Zahher Khan on Ekana's pitch curators
"What was a little disappointing for me here, considering it's a home game, is that in the IPL, we've seen how teams look to take advantage of playing at home. From that point of view, it seemed like the curator wasn't really considering it as a home game. It almost felt like the Punjab curator was out here. That's something we’ll have to figure out," Zaheer said in the post-match press conference.
Can the franchises demand a particular pitch type, even while it could be acceptable for them to anticipate a particular pitch type that plays to their strengths? What are the guidelines of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on this issue?
What does the BCCI rule state?
The venue authority is in charge of pitch preparation in accordance with Indian Premier League regulations.
"Before the match, the Ground Authority shall be responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch. During the match, the umpires shall control its use and maintenance," the IPL guideline states.
In this context, ground authority refers to the state association that oversees the ground, which will be responsible for pitch preparation at the venues.
It is legitimate to want a pitch that plays to the IPL teams' strengths, even though they have no control over the field and cannot impose their own preferences. These squads have been meticulously constructed to ensure that they provide their best effort, at least when playing at home. For instance, CSK's three best spinners—Noor Ahmad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin—cost Chennai close to Rs 38 crores in total. What was the purpose of purchasing the three in the IPL auction if CSK could not use them to their advantage?
There is only one thing that the pitch curators must comprehend. For the next ten months of the year, they have the locations. They could be able to adapt to the needs of teams in the IPL that have carefully planned their lineups in advance of the competition, spending both time and money on it.