Apr 11, 2025 02:35 PM IST
Dinesh Karthik didn’t mince his words as he raised questions on the pitch preparations in Bengaluru after RCB’s loss to Delhi Capitals.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Dinesh Karthik has become the latest to question the pitch preparations in the ongoing IPL 2025. The former India and RCB wicketkeeper-batter raised serious concerns over the pitches dished out at the Chinnaswamy Stadium after the team suffered back-to-back defeats in their home games. Despite requesting batting-friendly surfaces, Karthik revealed that the team was handed challenging decks that neutralised their powerhouse lineup.
“In the first two games, we have asked for good pitches. But it’s turned out in this way where it’s been challenging to bat on. So, we try to do the best with whatever we get,” Karthik said in the post-match press conference.
In both outings – against Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals – RCB were held to under-par totals of 169/8 and 163/7 respectively, with marquee batters failing to get going on tracks that offered little pace and even bounce. Karthik hinted that the franchise would soon initiate discussions with the stadium curator over the playing conditions.
“But we will have a chat with him (the curator). We trust him to do his job. So, this isn’t a pitch that’s helping the batters too much. It’s a challenging pitch. So that has been the case so far in both the games that we have played,” he added.
Not the first to speak out
Throughout the season, the discourse surrounding pitches has dominated the press conferences. Kolkata Knight Riders’ head coach, Chandrakant Pandit, was among the first to speak out on the pitches being prepared at the Eden Gardens, stating that it wasn’t conducive to the team’s strengths.
Bengal-based newspaper, Sangabad Pratidin, reported earlier this week that the disagreements over pitch preparations irked the KKR management to the extent that one of their officials took a jibe at CAB, telling one of its members that the curator deserved the Player of the Match after the side’s four-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants at home.
Chennai Super Kings’ Stephen Fleming has also raised concerns over the pitches at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, while LSG’s bowling coach Zaheer Khan had also said after a loss to Punjab Kings earlier this season that the Lucknow pitch helped the opposition more than the home team.
