From Chepauk to Eden Gardens: Does home advantage even exist in the IPL? | Cricket News

Chennai Tremendous Kings’ Matheesha Pathirana and teammates rejoice the dismissal of Punjab Kings’ Nehal Wadhera throughout their IPL 2025 match at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday. (ANI)

NEW DELHI: Regardless of the game, the idea and thought of dwelling benefit makes a distinction to a group. There’s a sense and cheap argument behind the concept: the house group understands the situations, understands the floor, has vehement fan help and these components could make a distinction between profitable and shedding.
The phenomenon holds true throughout sports activities and was the issue behind Barcelona’s monumental 38-game profitable streak at dwelling within the UEFA Champions League, a run that spanned seven years. It was additionally a central issue behind Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder topping the NBA Western Convention in 2024-25 as they stitched a 35-6 win-loss file at dwelling – the very best within the league.
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However with regards to cricket, although, the idea of dwelling benefit will get somewhat foggy.

Certain, India had a run of 18 consecutive Take a look at collection received at dwelling, a run that started in 2013 and was shattered by New Zealand final yr. Throughout that jaw-dropping feat, India received 42 matches, misplaced 4 and drew six. The Males in Blue additionally maintain the file for the longest dwelling streak in T20Is, going 17 collection unbeaten from 2019 to now.

A number of the components that tip the dimensions in the direction of the house facet in worldwide cricket are: familiarity with the stadiums and the situations; data of the pitch and skill to dictate issues; capability to stick with buddies/household as a substitute of resorts and final, however not the least, backing of a passionate crowd.
However these components do not essentially maintain true with regards to franchise T20 leagues such because the Indian Premier League (IPL). With native, Indian and worldwide gamers making up the squads, most of those components are nullified.
HOME RECORD IN IPL 2025

But, there are the likes of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians who’ve robust dwelling data. CSK made Chepauk their fortress with 72 wins out of 113 performed, a win-loss file of 1.800. Then there are fellow five-time IPL champions MI who’ve received 68 of 115 dwelling matches, a win-loss file of 1.478.
This yr, although, CSK have had a yr to overlook – normally and at dwelling. On April 25, as they went right down to Sunrisers Hyderabad, it accounted for his or her fifth defeat at MA Chidambaram Stadium. They’ve by no means misplaced extra at dwelling in a single season.
After their thumping towards Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28, coach Stephen Fleming argued they don’t seem to be getting any ‘dwelling benefit’.

“Nicely, as we have been telling you for numerous years, there was no dwelling benefit at Chepauk. We’ve not been capable of learn the wickets right here within the final couple of years. So, it isn’t new. We try to come back to grips every day with what we get, and we do not know.”
The gripe with dwelling floor is not new and Fleming definitely wasn’t the one voice that had criticism for the curators. Ajinkya Rahane, Zaheer Khan and Chandrakant Pandit all questioned the dearth of help for dwelling groups from the curators. Cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull went to the extent of suggesting that defending champions KKR ought to transfer away from the Eden Gardens if the curator does not pay heed.
KKR’s dwelling file this season hasn’t been nice. They’ve performed 5 at Eden Gardens, profitable only one and shedding three with one getting rained off. With two dwelling matches remaining, and IPL playoff probabilities on the road, they might hope for a flip in fortunes beginning Sunday towards Rajasthan Royals.
TEAMS AT HOME IN IPL 2025

The principles, nevertheless, do not enable franchises to dictate the situation of the floor. As franchises solely take the grounds on mortgage from the BCCI, they don’t have any say on how the floor must be ready.
“A BCCI curator isn’t accountable to any franchise. There is no such thing as a clear pointers as such from the BCCI additionally,” a supply near developments on the bottom advised TimesofIndia.com. “There’s been no assembly of curators since lengthy (time).
“The franchise(s) do like to put blame on the curators. As a substitute of blaming the curators, they need to see the standard of cricket they’re taking part in.

“The franchises play at a sure venue for 2 months however overlook that complete yr there’s a BCCI match (completely different age-groups) are taking place. If not BCCI then state affiliation play their leagues, conduct camps and different stuff.
“The curators are following the rules that has been made by former BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh three many years in the past…,” added the supply.
CSK AT HOME IN IPL 2025

Gujarat Titans COO Colonel Arvinder Singh questioned the point of the discussion round surfaces when the foundations are crystal clear.
“The principles of the sport are very clear and they’re frequent for everyone. No franchise has any proper to say, ‘I need this sort of a pitch’. That is not one thing that the foundations mean you can do,” he advised TimesofIndia.com.
“The house benefit has to stem from the truth that that’s your own home. You’re presupposed to know these situations higher than anyone else who’s coming as a result of that’s the place you play most of your video games, the place you observe. So from that perspective, when you’re taking a look at a house benefit, properly, why not? You deserve all the house benefit you could take.

“To say that I want dwelling benefit as a result of I need this sort of a pitch. Sorry, I do not suppose that cuts any ice with anyone,” he added.
Then there are query marks over the ethics of the game if the surfaces are skewed in the direction of a sure group or sure fashion of play.
“What is the level of taking part in if the situations are simply going to be the identical?,” questioned South Africa and Gujarat Titans seamer Kagiso Rabada in an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com.

This IPL season, within the 50 matches performed till Mumbai Indians’ win over Rajasthan Royals on the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Might 1, solely 20 have been received by the house facet. Of the remaining matches, 28 have gone the visiting group’s manner with one, between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals being determined in a Tremendous Over, and one match getting washed out.
There’s nonetheless some matches to go earlier than the IPL 2025 playoffs kick in however this yr isn’t a one-off in seeing dwelling sides wrestle. Throughout IPL 2023, of the 74 matches, 29 have been received by the hosts whereas 44 went the away facet’s manner. After which in IPL 2022, there have been 34 dwelling wins and 40 away wins throughout the 74 matches.
Conversely, IPL 2018 adopted the alternative script. Within the 60 matches that season, 38 have been received by dwelling groups and 22 by the guests. The stability was tipped final yr as properly with 42 dwelling wins and 29 away wins in 72 matches.