BCCI Ends Shane Warne's Pitch War in Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings Match

Shane Warne's escalated pitch battle in Jaipur in the IPL 4 season has reached the corridors of the Indian cricket board and they have shot down the Rajasthan Royals captain's attempts to draw controversy from the Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings match. Incidentally, Warne had problem with Sachin Tendulkar as well when the Rajasthan Royals met Mumbai Indians. What is going on?

shane warne rr v csk

First the former Australian leg spinner alleged that the pitch inspection at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur after Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbai Indians captain, called the surface two paced. It was a charge that the Mumbai Indians franchisee not only denied but also, blamed Shane Warne for trying to malign the name of Sachin Tendulkar and the Mumbai Indians.

As it turned out, the pitch inspection happened without Tendulkar's endorsement of it. But that is not where Shane Warne's have ended. After Rajasthan Royals lost to the Chennai Super Kings in a run fest by the former, Shane Warne once again turned the subject on the pitch matters, this time suggesting that the pitch used was meant to shorten boundary at one end and that it was not the design of the Rajasthan Royals but rather one where the strings were being pulled by outsiders, from the Chennai Super Kings, plausibly implying N. Srinivasan pulling strings with his clout in the BCCI.

This is what Shane Warne posted on Twitter following the match:

It's strange for the first time in four years we were told we are to play on end wicket and it was prepared completely differently

However, the subject of selecting the pitch has apparently never been in the hands of the local IPL franchisee and when Warne was implying that the team was getting to choose their pitch, it would remain to be seen whether he is making a valid case or was prodded into taking up an issue on behalf of another. While some have attributed it to a case of sour grapes from the Rajasthan Royals captain, if there is some merit to the issue that perhaps matters with the Rajasthan Royals will need to be looked into because the BCCI has come out with a clarification that read thus:

The BCCI wishes to clarify that the wicket used in the match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals was as per the decision of the curator and the Ground and Pitches Committee.

The BCCI also added that the decision to use a particular pitch was not the prerogative of the playing teams or captains and therefore, Warne's grouse holds no water. Either way, one gets the feeling this may not be the last word in on the subject.