In November, India will face South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata for the first Test in a two-match series. The renowned stadium will host a Test match for the first time since India’s inaugural pink-ball contest against Bangladesh in November 2019.
The second Test between India and the West Indies was initially scheduled to take place in Kolkata in October. However, the game has been moved to the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) acknowledged the adjustment, which comes among a plethora of other alterations for the 2024-25 domestic season.
According to Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) officials, the BCCI’s decision to move India’s Tests against the West Indies and South Africa from Delhi to Kolkata is a form of “compensation” for Eden Gardens, which was unable to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final due to inclement weather in Kolkata.
The last two Test matches at Eden Gardens, India vs Sri Lanka in 2017 and India vs Bangladesh in 2019, saw the fast bowlers benefit from the surface.
However, given the strength of South Africa seamers, India may opt for a spin-friendly track to gain a home edge.
“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 prepped for the Test. “The pitches will not be re-laid, but top-dressing the surfaces is vital to promote the overall pitch health,” Mukherjee said.
Top-dressing a pitch involves the application of a mixture of sand and soil to the surface, which also leads to better grass cover.
The Eden curator is also confident of dealing with the situation if there are requests from the Indian team management to prepare for a spin-friendly pitch.
The 22 yards aside, the Eden outfield will also be going through a little bit of coring so that it looks “even more lush green”, Mukherjee added.
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