365Telugu.com online news,Bengaluru, April 24, 2025: Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid has weighed in on the ongoing debate about the absence of home advantage in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Speaking ahead of RR’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday, Dravid downplayed the role of pitch conditions, instead pointing to the extensive player reshuffles following the pre-season mega auction as the key factor.
Multiple IPL franchises, including RCB, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), have expressed frustration over their home pitches not aligning with their strategies. RCB, for instance, has lost all three home games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with mentor Dinesh Karthik attributing the losses to unexpectedly slow pitches. However, Dravid offered a different perspective during a press conference.
“I’m not entirely sure what the franchises might have expected from their curators,” he remarked. “But with the mega auction, teams are essentially new. Many players, even the so-called home players, are playing on these grounds for the first time.”
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Dravid explained that the significant squad changes after the auction have led to players needing time to adapt to their new home venues. He gave the example of RR’s Nitish Rana, a former KKR player now adjusting to Jaipur’s conditions.
“After a big auction, the home advantage isn’t as pronounced because of the squad overhaul. It might take a season or two for players to settle in and for that advantage to show,” Dravid elaborated.
RR themselves have managed only one win at their home ground in Jaipur, while RCB’s batting has struggled on Bengaluru’s tricky, two-paced pitches, resulting in low scores of 169/8, 163/7, and 95/9 across their home matches.
As a Bengaluru local, Dravid remained hopeful about the pitch for the upcoming game. “From what I’ve seen, the wicket looks good and should play well,” he said, anticipating a surface that might offer more for the batters.
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Currently placed eighth in the IPL 2025 points table, RR have lost several close matches, and Dravid stressed the importance of seizing crucial moments. “We’ve played decent cricket, but a few moments haven’t gone our way. We need to step up in those decisive situations,” he noted.
The upcoming clash with RCB, who are also seeking their first home win, is set to be a pivotal match for both teams as they look to improve their standings.
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