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Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee faces criticism after a wet track delayed the JC Mukherjee T20 game at Jadavpur University.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir with Eden Gardens pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee (PTI)
Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee has copped criticism yet again after a local league in Kolkata faced a delay due to a wet pitch, with groundsmen at the Jadavpur University venue saying they weren’t aware of a match being held on the day, according to a report in ABP Ananda.
An unprecedented incident occurred during the Cricket Association of Bengal-run JC Mukherjee T20 tournament game between Kolkata Police and Kolkata Port Trust. The match was scheduled to be held at Jadavpur University’s Salt Lake ground.
The game was scheduled to begin at 9 am, with the toss all set for 8:30 am. But on Sunday morning, the umpires found the track damp and soggy, rendering it unfit for play.
The start had to be pushed back and after several inspections, play started at 11:10 am. Batting first, Kolkata Police Club put up 85/3 in a reduced seven-over innings. Port Trust, in response, could only manage 60/4, giving Kolkata Police a comfortable victory.
The report suggests that the ground staff were unaware that a JC Mukherjee Trophy game was slated for Sunday, November 23, at the Jadavpur University ground in Salt Lake.
As a result, the groundsmen watered the track on Saturday evening, creating the issue. The pitch was not match-ready, causing a delayed start. The JC Mukherjee T20 tournament features teams from CAB’s First Division.
On Sunday, the Jadavpur University ground in Salt Lake was also slated to host the East Bengal vs Arian match later in the day. A section of the Maidan is now questioning how such negligence could occur in a First Division tournament.
Mukherjee now finds himself under scrutiny, with many arguing that the fiasco could have been avoided had he been more vigilant. As per the report, the ground staff were unaware that a game was scheduled.
The report suggests that Mukherjee had asked the CAB to move the JC Mukherjee Tournament games away from Jadavpur so the wicket and outfield could be readied for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
The November 24 game was shifted from the Jadavpur University ground to Tala Park, but Mukherjee and his newly appointed assistant overlooked that another game was still slated at the same venue on the 23rd.
When asked for a response, Mukherjee told ABP Ananda, “There was some misunderstanding somewhere. But the umpires could have started the match earlier if they wanted. If the wicket was really bad, a team would not have scored 85 in seven overs.”
Mukherjee added, “The pitches for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament will be good. I have to oversee that preparation as well.”
November 23, 2025, 20:59 IST
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