India vs South Africa: Eden Gardens Pitch Set for Sporting Battle

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly confirmed on Monday that the Indian team management has not requested a rank turner pitch for the upcoming Test match against South Africa at Eden Gardens starting Friday. India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir inspected the pitch following the team’s arrival from Australia, while curator Sujan Mukherjee emphasized that the surface would offer balanced conditions for both batters and bowlers.

Pitch Prepared for Competitive Cricket

Ganguly stated that no specific requests have been made for an artificially prepared turning wicket. “Well, they haven’t asked for it yet. So, I won’t be able to answer the question. It looks a very good one,” he remarked. The curator confirmed that the pitch has not been watered since Saturday and expressed satisfaction with its preparation. Gambhir appeared pleased during his inspection, appreciating the overall condition of the wicket.

Spinner-Friendly Conditions Expected

Mukherjee indicated that the wicket will provide assistance to spinners, particularly from the third day onwards. “It’s going to be a good sporting wicket with help for both batters and bowlers. There will be assistance on offer for the spinners as well,” he explained. This development is significant given South Africa’s formidable spin attack led by Keshav Maharaj, supported by Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy, who performed well in their recent series against Pakistan.

This Test marks Eden Gardens’ return to international cricket after six years, with the last match being India’s first day-night Test against Bangladesh in November 2019. The venue has hosted two Ranji Trophy matches this season with slower pitches offering minimal fast-bowling assistance, suggesting a balanced approach for this crucial encounter.