It was a routine visit to the Eden Gardens by Sujan Mukherjee, the chief curator of the venue. This visit came a day after Eden Gardens was adjudged the best ground and pitch by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It is now the fourth time under the tenure of Sujan that Eden Gardens has been given the best pitch and ground award by the Indian cricket board. Although Ajinkya Rahane’s Kolkata Knight Riders finished seventh in the IPL 2026 points table, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) emerged as the top venue and received a prize of ₹50 lakh.
“Whenever you receive an award, it gives you immense satisfaction. After putting in so much hard work, when you are recognised and rewarded, it is naturally very pleasing,” said Sujan in an interaction with Revsportz. “To be selected among all the venues is a huge achievement. And this is not the first time CAB has received the Best Pitch and Ground award. This is now the third time.
“Over the last few years, all the venues have produced very good wickets and grounds. Among all of them, if you are selected as the best, it means Eden Gardens has done something extra. We are really happy about that. This is the third time we have won the Best Ground award. One of those occasions was shared with Mumbai. So yes, we are very happy. After about three years, we are receiving this recognition again.”
Last season, Eden Gardens’ pitch was at the centre of controversy. This season, however, there was far less debate. Regardless of whether controversy exists or not, Sujan made it clear that he will continue preparing pitches in the same manner following the guidelines of the BCCI.
According to Sujan, “First of all, there was nothing to complain about the pitch this season, and it has always been good. After Ajinkya Rahane’s comment last season, a very strong step was taken by the BCCI. Coaches and captains were effectively barred from making public remarks about pitches. This was a very good decision. If anyone makes such comments now, they could face penalties or fines. So naturally, there was no such discussion this year.”
The situation was very different last season. After KKR lost several matches at home, Rahane openly blamed the pitch. He complained that the team had requested spin-friendly wickets at their home ground but did not get them. Even then, Sujan refused to accept the criticism, stating that he had prepared the pitches according to the guidelines set by the board.
Sujan added, “Last season, KKR’s coach, captain, and two commentators questioned the pitch. No one else raised any concerns. The BCCI has clear guidelines regarding the nature of the pitches. I prepare them according to those instructions, as I have done in the past and will continue to do in the future.”
Out of the seven IPL matches this season, one game was abandoned due to rain. Of the remaining six matches, KKR won three and lost three. This suggests that both KKR and their opponents enjoyed equal opportunities on the surface. The highest score recorded at the venue was 247, achieved by KKR against Gujarat Titans. At the same time, a low-scoring contest of 148 runs was witnessed in the match played between KKR and Mumbai Indians. In another game, Lucknow Super Giants successfully chased down 181 runs against KKR, securing victory off the final ball.
These statistics clearly show that the venue offered a variety of playing conditions throughout the season. The contests remained competitive, with both batters and bowlers receiving fair assistance from the pitch. That balance between bat and ball is one of the key reasons Eden Gardens earned the Best Pitch and Ground Award. Looking ahead, Sujan hopes that the venue will continue the good work of producing sporting pitches.
On being asked whether he received any congratulatory message from Sourav Ganguly, the president of the state association, Sujan said, “He (Sourav) always has a positive influence on me. Whenever you get his inputs on wickets or cricket-related matters, it helps. I have worked with him for the last twelve years, both when he was a player and as an administrator. Whenever he comes, he offers suggestions, ‘Sujan da, try this, or what if you do that?’ We exchange ideas, and those discussions help me a lot. I know he was unwell with a fever, so I did not expect him to travel to Ahmedabad. Since he has just returned, I think he will call me, perhaps later in the evening.”
Finally, Sujan emphasised that winning the Best Ground and Best Pitch award is a reflection of the collective effort of the entire ground staff. He believes the recognition will further motivate his team to maintain the high standards that have made Eden Gardens one of the premier cricket venues in the country.
The post There was nothing to complain about the Eden Gardens pitch this season: Sujan Mukherjee appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
