Eden wicket is brainchild of me and Ganguly: Chief curator

Kolkata: The Eden Gardens pitch is known to be turner but a neutral wicket is expected when India take on Pakistan in their ICC World Twenty20 Group B, Super 10 tie on Saturday. Chief pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee – who replaced veteran Prabir Mukherjee recently – told this correspondent exclusively that spectators will be entertained in the high pressure match.

“The wicket is going to assist the batsmen as well as the bowlers, it is neutral and perfect for Twenty20 cricket. It is a true cricketing wicket. If one bats well, they will score and if one maintains a good length, will gain assistance as well,” he said.

“As far as what I observe, batting first or second will not make a difference. The wicket will remain the same. The pitch won’t break,” he added.

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Mukherjee also praised former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, the newly-appointed president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) after the demise of BCCI giant Jagmohan Dalmiya.

“After Maharaj (Ganguly) came into the scheme of things, Eden Gardens has improved in leaps and bounds. He worked very hard on this ground and now, even the drainage system is fantastic,” he said.

The 84-year-old former curator was criticised for not covering the outfield during the Twenty20 match between India and South Africa last year. The CAB officials slammed him for being adamant and autocratic.

Though the pitch is laid based on guidelines from BCCI and ICC, Mukherjee said: “Nobody should dictate me. I have Ganguly around – one of the best former international cricketers – and both of us are trying our best to develop the turf.”

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“Today Ian Bishop also told me that I am blessed to have him (Ganguly) around. I keep calling him now and then to have a look at the wicket,” he added.

Talking about a winning total, Mukherjee said: “I think 180 or 190 is chaseable on this wicket. In the last two games, the wicket did not rough up in the second innings.”