IPL 2026: Sporting pitches set to be laid out at Eden Gardens; Green unlikely to bowl in KKR’s next three home games

 

Images: Debasis Sen

Debasis Sen

The Kolkata Knight Riders are unlikely to get turning tracks at Eden Gardens for the Indian Premier League 2026 season, starting with their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2. Three pitches will be used for KKR’s seven home matches this season.

“As usual, the pitches for the upcoming IPL matches will be sporting. There will be runs on offer, and bowlers will also get assistance. I haven’t received any instructions from anyone about the wicket,” said Sujan Mukherjee to RevSportz. Incidentally, during the 2026 IPL, there was a controversy regarding the nature of the pitches at the iconic venue between CAB chief curator Sujan and the KKR management.

There is also a forecast of thunderstorms and rain showers on Tuesday evening. Around 100 ground staff members will be deployed to cover the entire ground. The city witnessed heavy winds followed by rain showers on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will not be available to bowl in the next three matches for KKR. He did not bowl in the first match against Mumbai Indians. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane’s comment on Green after the match sparked controversy.

On being asked why Green did not bowl, Rahane said, “That question you need to ask Cricket Australia.”

Cricket Australia responded promptly. A spokesperson said, “Cameron has a lower back injury which is being managed but requires him to refrain from bowling for a short period. He is currently rebuilding his bowling workload in India with a view to returning in around 10–12 days. KKR has been informed and is fully aware of this situation.”

With Green available only as a batter, it remains to be seen whether KKR will persist with him in the playing XI against SRH or bring in Rovman Powell as the overseas player. Powell can contribute a couple of overs and also serve as a finisher.

Bowling has been KKR’s biggest concern due to injuries and the unavailability of key pacers. Indian fast bowlers – Harshit Rana and Akash Deep – have been ruled out of the tournament. Rana has undergone a knee surgery, while Akash is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence for a lower-back stress injury. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is yet to join the squad as he has not received his No Objection Certificate from Sri Lanka Cricket.

KKR’s star spinner Varun Chakaravarthy is struggling for form as seen in the first match against Mumbai Indians. He conceded 48 runs in his four overs, with MI batters playing him comfortably. Varun has looked low on confidence in recent matches. In his last four T20Is, he bowled 15 overs, conceding 178 runs while picking up just four wickets. Rahane’s captaincy also came under scrutiny for not completing the full quota of overs from Sunil Narine, who bowled only three overs.

The KKR squad arrived in Kolkata from Mumbai on Monday evening and are scheduled to train at Eden Gardens on Tuesday evening.

Follow Revsportz for latest sports news

The post IPL 2026: Sporting pitches set to be laid out at Eden Gardens; Green unlikely to bowl in KKR’s next three home games appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Consistent Nicholas Pooran can be world’s top T20 batter

Image
Nicholas Pooran’s carnage against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Image: IPL He has always had a calmness about him. A very West Indian relaxed kind of mindset and demeanour. And having seen adversity, he knows that one needs to celebrate and value the good that comes your way. The urge to keep getting better, and be the best version of oneself, is what defines the new Nicholas Pooran. That’s what came through in the candid conversations we had on the IPL and his own approach to batting. Not overawed by the 21-crore price tag or the weight of expectations, Pooran is simply going about his job. He knows he can hit the ball miles and is keeping it simple. Go and do what you do best for hours and hours at practice, and in doing so, help your team Lucknow Super Giants] demolish opponents. “The best part about this franchise is they have never put me under pressure,” he told me. “When you are paid a lot of money, there is always pressure. Not so much from outside but from within. You know you ne...
Read more

Turning the clock back by 0.12 seconds

Image
MS Dhoni with a stumping dismissal against MI in the IPL 2025 in Chennai (PC: BCCI) The moment of the Chennai Super Kings-Mumbai Indians match lasted less than half a second. It was the 11 th over of the MI innings. Suryakumar Yadav was bringing the batting side back in the game. Noor Ahmad beat him on a forward charge, the ball spun away, and the right-hander’s hind leg got off the ground before he planted it back. That was all MS Dhoni needed to brush the bails off. At a packed MA Chidambaram Stadium decked in yellow and chanting his name, that was the only occasion when Dhoni was in ‘action’. It showed that at 43, his reflexes have not slackened and he has got sharper in plotting dismissals. This one was replayed on TV again and again during the match and commentators couldn’t help but keep talking about it. He had conceded four byes on the leg side in the same over. But this was the Dhoni who elevated stumping to another level. When it comes to waiting for batters to err wit...
Read more

From scoring ton in Patna to taking on bouncers like a ‘bullet’ in Perth – Nitish’s story of perseverance

Image
Nitish Kumar Reddy during the 1st innings of the Perth Test (PC: Debasis Sen) “Grateful, an innings to remember.” Nitish Reddy had posted the aforesaid statement on his Instagram account after cracking his maiden first-class hundred, against Bihar, in Patna. It wasn’t just about Nitish scoring an unbeaten 159 for Andhra. It was also about the way he scored those runs. He essayed a few crunchy drives off Veer Pratap Singh and also showcased his range of shots against Ashutosh Aman, the left-arm spinner, by playing with the turn and also against the turn. This hundred from Nitish came just before the 2024 IPL season, where he accumulated 303 runs. Once again, it wasn’t just about Nitish accruing 303 runs as he accumulated them with a touch of class. Soon, the Indian think-tank drafted the all-rounder into the limited-overs set-up. Although he missed the Zimbabwe series because of a hernia problem, it was crystal clear that the coaching staff had a vision – to pick him for the tour o...
Read more