The curator of Eden Gardens, Sujan Mukherjee, has come under intense scrutiny following India’s shock defeat to South Africa, with critics blaming the pitch for its uneven bounce and spin-friendly nature. Mukherjee, however, has strongly defended his work, insisting he “did it as instructed” and that the surface was not substandard.
In public remarks, Mukherjee said he prepared the pitch exactly as he was guided by team management. He rejected claims that the wicket was badly mismanaged, stating that he knew how to build a proper Test surface and poured his heart and soul into his preparation. He also explained that he simply followed the instructions given to him — a point that has been echoed by India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir.
Gambhir has been a vocal backer of the curator, saying that Eden Gardens’ surface had “no demons” and was exactly what the Indian team requested. He added that the pitch was meant to test mental resilience, and batters needed to adapt rather than blame the conditions. In his view, it was a wicket where “if you have a solid defence and temperament, you can score.”
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has also come to Mukherjee’s defence. CAB President Sourav Ganguly argued that the pitch had been prepared according to India’s demands, noting that a dry, unwatered track over several days naturally brings challenges. He emphasized that Mukherjee should not be held solely responsible for the criticism, given that team management was part of the decision-making process.
Still, not all voices have been supportive. Several former cricketers and analysts have questioned the balance of the pitch, citing the large number of wickets and the difficulty batters faced. Ravichandran Ashwin publicly questioned whether the game was still being played on proper Test surfaces, while some fans went as far as calling for the venue’s pitch to be banned. The uneven bounce, some have argued, made survival nearly impossible.
The debate raises larger questions about pitch preparation in Indian cricket. Is the expectation for turning, deteriorating tracks too high? Or is the execution falling short? For Mukherjee, the issue remains deeply personal: he insists he built exactly what was asked of him, and he remains confident in his ability to prepare competitive surfaces in the future — regardless of the criticism.
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