Ganguly backs BCCI on Test venues
Former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal President Sourav Ganguly would love to host as many Tests as possible at the Eden Gardens but he is also “happy” to see the traditional format reach other venues like Guwahati and Ranchi.
Unveiling Team India’s home season for 2026-27, the BCCI last week left out traditional venues like Kolkata and Mumbai from the marquee Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, scheduling matches in Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad from January 21 to February 25 next year.
Reacting to the move, Ganguly said Eden Gardens has got its fair share of games.
“It’s always great to have big Test matches back at Eden Gardens. As the president of the CAB and being a former player, I would like to host Test matches here, but we got the Test against South Africa, then there were T20 World Cup games and the Indian Premier League fixtures,” Ganguly said on the sidelines of the book launch ‘Miracle At Eden’ by Sportstar.
“As much as you would like to host matches at the Eden, it is important to understand that it has to go to other venues as well,” he added.
India’s 2026-27 home season is a packed one, featuring series against West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Australia across formats. Kolkata and Mumbai will host only white-ball matches.
But Guwahati, which made its Test debut in November 2025, will host its second Test in just over a year’s time, while Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium also returns as a venue after hosting the West Indies in October last season.
The Wankhede last hosted a Test in November 2024, while Eden Gardens staged one against South Africa in November in the year gone by.
In the BCCI’s calendar, Kolkata (January 3, 2027) and Mumbai (January 9, 2027) have been allotted ODIs against Zimbabwe, while Delhi will host Sri Lanka for the first ODI on December 13 this year. The perceived sidelining of traditional centres has divided opinions.
Speaking on the issue for the first time, the former BCCI president backed the Board to take Tests.
Wankhede last hosted a Test in Nov 2024, while Eden Gardens staged one against South Africa in Nov in the year gone by.
