27-point penalty for poor pitch: English club gives Sourav Ganguly’s biopic as reason

Dubai: Sourav Ganguly’s upcoming biopic, "Dada," has an unexpected link to Leicestershire's County Championship cricket club, which is now facing potential relegation due to a poor pitch investigation. The film, starring Rajkummar Rao as the former India captain, was being shot four days before a crucial match at Leicestershire's Grace Road.

The club lost 27 points following a Cricket Discipline Panel ruling that found the pitch substandard during their August encounter against Glamorgan. Leicestershire attempted to appeal the decision, citing the film shoot as a mitigating factor, but the regulator deemed it just one of several contributing elements to the pitch's condition.

Match referee Ian Ramage documented 43 instances of uneven bounce, including cracks, collapses, ball indentations, and large grass clumps. As a result, Leicestershire forfeited all 19 points earned from their win and received an additional eight-point deduction and a £5,000 fine. Another eight-point penalty is suspended until the end of the 2027 season, leaving the club at the bottom of Division One and in serious relegation danger.

The connection to Ganguly's film is significant as it prepares for its theatrical release on May 14, 2027.