The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata missed out on hosting the IPL knockout matches, including the final, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made the decision based on the weather forecast during the playoffs in the City of Joy.
International cricket will return to Eden Gardens as it is set to host the first Test of the two-match series between India and South Africa in November.
The BCCI had initially planned to host the second Test between India and the West Indies in Kolkata in October. However, a change in plans has seen the match shifted to the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Pitches will not be re-laid: Sujan Mukherjee
Sujan Mukherjee, Eden Gardens Pitch curator, in a recent interview with The Telegraph, spoke about the preparations being made to ready two central pitches for the Test. The ground staff is also prepared to accommodate a request from the Indian team management should they prefer a spin-friendly surface.
“A good track with a decent bit of grass content will be prepared,” Eden curator Sujan Mukherjee told The Telegraph on Tuesday, June 10. “It was learnt that two of the middle pitches will be readied for the Test. The pitches will not be re-laid, but top-dressing the surfaces is important to enhance the overall pitch health.”
The pitch at Eden Gardens has favoured fast bowlers in the last two Test matches held there — including the day-night Test against Bangladesh in 2019 and the 2017 clash between India and Sri Lanka. It will be interesting to see how the surface behaves this time around.
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