IND vs SA: How the all important Eden Test could define India’s WTC campaign

India will face South Africa in two-match Test series (AP Photo)

I was at Eden Gardens for some work day before yesterday and it was nice to see the ground getting all decked up for the Test match. Fresh paint in the change rooms, new carpets, galleries getting a spruce up, it was evident that the stadium is being readied for the all important Test match between India and South Africa starting from November 14.

It has been a while that Eden has hosted a Test match. A trip to one of the best cricket stadiums in the world and you come across happy and vibrant faces. Though it is still a week to go, you can already see fans starting to assemble outside the ground. Ticket queries have started and the excitement is slowly building. Tickets made available to the public in the District App are selling well and one can expect a strong crowd on at least the first three days of the Test.

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With South Africa coming back to the same ground where they started their journey in 1991, it is the occasion that matters. And this time round they come back as reigning World Test Champions.

CAB officials are working round the clock to make sure things are in place. They have the additional responsibility of ensuring crowd management is done to perfection come the 14th of November.

It is a very different feeling as one goes into Eden Gardens. In May 2021 it had been converted into a Covid facility with healthcare workers making the stadium home. Sport had taken a backseat and it all appeared dark and gloomy. To think that this happened just four years back. The world was then a different place.

As Shubman Gill and his team take centerstage, it will be the series that could define India’s WTC campaign. Against a South African side that has some quality players, make no mistake India will be tested. The Pakistan series was evidence that the South Africans have turned a tide in the sub-continent. After losing the first, they came back to hammer Pakistan in the second and will come to Eden with their tails up.

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As the winter starts to set in, there will be some assistance for the faster bowlers early on and with the sun starting to go down pretty early, batting post 4pm will not be easy. In every way, it will be a challenge and that’s what makes Test cricket special.

For some reason Test cricket still gets me excited. The red ball, the white clothing, early morning starts, the walk to the Eden, vendors selling their fare, each is a reminder of my childhood. And yes on one of the days I will indeed go to the Mohun Bagan Club ground for the chicken stew. That’s what I had done in 1991 when South Africa played its first game on their return to international cricket. It was the first time I had seen Allan Donald and the battle between him and Tendulkar subsequently became part of lore.

This time round it will be Rabada versus Gill. Or rather Rahul or Pant. India will have to bat well to control the narrative and I have to say I can’t wait for the game to start.