On March 23, Eden Gardens came alive. The time-honored stadium of Kolkata, lit with packed stands, was alive with a great IPL 2025 opening ceremony, as well as an ecstatic Shah Rukh Khan waving to this sea of fans. Indeed, it was a dream comeback for IPL after one year gap. KKR versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) felt more like a celebration than just another match. But like all such things, it became old very fast.
The high has sunk in the atmosphere of the stadium. There used to be lively chants, now Eden Gardens is feeling strangely silent. The empty seats were clearly seen during the toss in the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on 3 April. This same quiet feel returned for today's game against Rajasthan Royals (RR).
People have been watching this without blaming the franchise itself. The focus has now shifted to ticket pricing. Social media is filled with consumers complaining about inflated rates; seats which cost ₹900 are now going for ₹3,500. These prices appear too high for a city where cricket has usually been for everybody-that has now pushed a few loyal fans away.
There has also been a loss of emotional connect. Shreyas Iyer, once the captain who brought home a title, was also one who epitomized the spirit of KKR-his firing before the season had begun. Many supporters claim that their team feels less like their own without a Bollywood-Indian superstar leading the charge.
Fans React to this :
| Opened | 1864 |
| Capacity | Around 63,000 |
| Ends | High Court End, Pavilion End |
| Location | Kolkata, India |
| Home to | Bengal, Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Curator | Probir Mukherjee |
