Since the start of IPL 2025, the discussion surrounding the pitch conditions for home sides has taken centre stage, with coaches, mentors and players sharing their opinions. Last night, RCB became the latest team to suffer a defeat on their home ground in Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans. Sharing his thoughts on the matter, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra felt that home teams should have the right to demand favourable pitch conditions. 

Recently, Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit expressed that his team does not have much of a say in pitch preparation at Eden Gardens. Even Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming claimed that his team doesn’t have a significant home advantage at Chepauk. Most recently, Lucknow Super Giants mentor Zaheer Khan made headlines by noting that the Ekana pitch appeared as if it had been prepared to favour the opposition. 

"I feel every home team should have the right to decide the kind of surface that they want. They should demand the surface, and they should get it, is what I feel, because home advantage is real, and that comes in only two forms: one is the surface that you choose and the second is the crowd support that is there. Other than that, it's an away game,” Chopra said on ESPNcricinfo's IPL show, Time Out.

The issue becomes rather complicated for three teams - Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who play some of their home games at second ground. 

"From time to time I actually scratch my head [about this], and I still haven't found an answer […] because you don't pick a team based on how the pitch is going to be in Guwahati or in Dharamsala. You pick a [Royals] team [on the basis of], okay, I'm going to play seven games at Sawai Mansingh Stadium [in Jaipur], ideally. Or Chennai will pick a team that is ideal for Chepauk for those seven games. And if you deny them that opportunity to play the right kind of team that you picked thinking, that this is the kind of surface that we want, if you don't get that surface, then it just doesn't work out. So in my opinion, every team should actually be allowed to dictate the way the pitches are to be made."