Expecting day-night Test to happen, says Eden Gardens curator
The pitch curator at Eden Gardens Sujan Mukherjee is expecting the second Test of the two-match series between India and Bangladesh to be a day-night affair as reports suggested earlier.
According to ESPNCricinfo, all that is left to be completed is a final go-ahead.
"We are waiting for the final go-ahead now, but yes, we are expecting it to happen. As such, there is nothing different for us to do. A pitch is a pitch, we are hoping to make it a sporting one, with some pace," Sujan Mukherjee told ESPNCricinfo.
However, he went on to add that due to persistent rain over the last few days, preparing the pitch could be difficult.
"It has been raining intermittently for the past many days, and non-stop for the last three days. But I am sure we will have time to do a good job," Sujan said.
Earlier, BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said they will ask the team management before giving the go-ahead.
"At first we have to take the consent of the players and members of the team management about it. It is totally a technical matter [playing day-night Test from skill perspective] and we have to consider that there is preparation required to play a Test with a pink ball," Chouwdhury said.
If the go-ahead is given, this will be India's first pink-ball Test ever. India along with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ireland are the only 4 Test-playing nations to have not played a day-night affair yet.
The two-match series, which will be a part of the World Test Championship will start on November 14 at the Holkar Stadium. The second Test in Kolkata is scheduled to start on November 22. Before the Test series, the two teams will play three T20Is in Delhi (November 3), Rajkot (November 7) and Nagpur (November 10).
India currently lead the WTC table with 240 points ahead of second-placed New Zealand, who have just 60 to their name. Bangladesh are yet to play a single Test in the Championship.
