Former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal President Sourav Ganguly said Test cricket must reach newer venues despite Kolkata missing out on marquee fixtures in India’s 2026–27 home season. Ganguly added that while Eden Gardens holds immense value, the game’s growth requires it to be spread across different centres.
The discussion around venue allocation gained momentum after Kolkata was left out of India’s Test schedule for the 2026–27 home season. Speaking on the sidelines of a book launch, Ganguly balanced sentiment with practicality, admitting his desire to host big matches in Kolkata while backing the broader vision.
“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 told 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.
HOW KOLKATA WAS SNUBBED FROM TEST SCHEDULE
The debate emerged after the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India unveiled India’s 2026–27 home schedule, which notably excluded traditional venues like Kolkata and Mumbai from the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Instead, the five-Test series, starting January 21, 2027, will be played across Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad, reflecting a deliberate shift towards a more geographically diverse hosting model.
While Kolkata and Mumbai will still feature in the calendar, they have only been allotted white-ball fixtures, including ODIs against Zimbabwe. The move has sparked debate, with traditionalists arguing that iconic venues risk losing their central place in India’s Test cricket identity.
At the same time, emerging centres like Guwahati, which hosted its maiden Test in 2025, continue to gain prominence, signalling the BCCI’s intent to expand the reach of the format.
For Ganguly, the decision represents a balancing act. While Eden Gardens has historically been a cornerstone of Indian Test cricket, the evolving landscape now demands a wider distribution of matches.
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