IPL 2021: Absolutely fair that we are playing at neutral venues: Mysore

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Kolkata, March 31: There won’t be any home advantage for the eight franchises in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) to be played at neutral venues but that's a fair deal, Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore said on Wednesday.

The most lucrative T20 league is all set to return to India after a pit stop in UAE in 2020 but all teams will be deprived of the home conditions.

Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru will host 10 matches each while Ahmedabad and New Delhi will get to host eight matches with the tournament following a cluster caravan format.

"It's always a bit of a disappointment when you can't play at home. But these are very understandable reasons and these are very difficult and very unusual times as we all know we've all been through this for well over a year," Mysore said in a virtual media conference.

"I think it's a fair resolution by playing in neutral venues and in bio-secure bubble. While it's definitely something we are going to miss, but it's completely understandable under the circumstances."

Mysore further said they are sparing no expense in adhering to the bio-bubble atmosphere and have appointed a 'bubble manager' and 'bubble integrity manager' to ensure that everything is in order.

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"We have a bubble manager, and there is a bubble integrity manager so there are some new positions that are getting created. Travel is going to be different this time because we're playing in four different cities and then go to the playoffs back to Ahmedabad. So we have charters arranged as well as the bubble to bubble type of transfer even when we leave the hotel and travel to the airport.

"We're sparing no expense because anyone who's involved in, with the team in servicing at the hotel, or team management. Everyone is part of the bubble. We've been very fortunate to have a highly qualified doctor on board as well last season and this season. We also have an entire staff who's geared to take care of the whole bubble management issue as we call it," he said.

As far as performance is concerned, KKR have missed the playoffs for a second successive time but Mysore sounded unfazed. "It is a supremely competitive tournament. Last year we missed out on the qualification narrowly," he said as KKR missed out of playoff berth by net run-rate.

"This will be my 11th season with KKR and I believe we've made seven qualifications in the playoffs, which means that we're always a contender, we're always there.

"And I think that's what you aim to do to be a contender and then one has to earn the right to actually not only compete for the big prize, but be there so the important thing is we've always been there.

"Hopefully, there are some stars that need to align as well in the long tournament like this, and we're looking forward to that," Mysore concluded.