The pitch at the Eden Gardens has always been a talking point lately. After the pitch drama took the centre-stage in the Indian Premier League, earlier this year, Indian captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir had a lengthy chat with pitch curator, something that has intrigued the media covering the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata.
Arriving at the practice session on Wednesday, Gill walked straight towards the pitch with curator Sujan Mukherjee and two BCCI pitch curators Tapas Chatterjee and Ashish Bhowmick. They quartet had a length chat in the middle.
Is is understood that Gill was trying to tell them something that he was not happy with something. After Gill had a discussion with Mukherjee, the Indian support staff including bowling coach Morne Morkel, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and Gambhir had a thorough look, with the Dutchman really having a feel of the wicket.
According to a RevSportz report, the Indian team management looked unhappy with something on the wicket. A similar visual had emerged the day before when Gambhir was having a long chat with Mukherjee where the former India opener was categorically seen pointing out to few of the cracks near the bowler’s footmarks.
Meanwhile, Mukherjee looked happy and even told media that the Indian team had requested for a “bit of turn on the surface”. “The pitch will be good. It will be a good sporting wicket. As the days progress, there will be turn. There will be bounce,” Mukherjee told India Today on Tuesday.
“But everybody – batter, bowler – there is something for everybody on this pitch. The chat with the team like every home team. See, if you go to Australia, there will be bounce. Likewise, Indian teams ask for a bit of turn. Not much, but they ask for a bit of turn,” added the veteran pitch curator.
How Eden Gardens pitch reacted in Ranji Trophy so far?
In the ongoing domestic season, the iconic Eden Gardens hosted two Ranji Trophy games so far. In both the games, the pitch has been on the slower side with little assistance to the fast bowlers. The likes of Akash Deep and Mohammed Shami initially struggled in both games for Bengal at this venue before reverse swing came into play.