New Delhi, April 1 — Eden Gardens and Wankhede Stadium will not host matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, yet former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed satisfaction with this decision. Ganguly stated that while he wishes to see more Test matches at Eden Gardens, he is also pleased that traditional format matches are being played at other centers across the country.
As per agency report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the schedule for the 2026-27 domestic season. Under this schedule, the matches against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will not take place at traditional centers like Kolkata and Mumbai. Instead, these matches will be held from January 21 to February 25 in Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Ahmedabad.
Ganguly mentioned that it is always nice to see big Test matches at Eden Gardens. As an administrator and former player, he wishes for more matches to be held there. However, he noted that they recently hosted a Test against South Africa, followed by T20 World Cup matches and currently IPL matches are also being played.
He further stated that while everyone wants more matches at Eden, it is important to understand that other grounds should also get opportunities. There are many grounds in the country with better facilities that should also host international matches.
Guwahati has recently emerged as a Test center, having hosted its first Test in November 2025, and is set to host its second Test within a year. Additionally, a Test match was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad last October. On the other hand, the last Test at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium was held in November 2024. According to the schedule, ODI matches will be played in Kolkata and Mumbai against Zimbabwe in early 2027, while a match against Sri Lanka is proposed in Delhi this December.
Ganguly emphasized that there are now good grounds and facilities available across the country. He cited cities like Chennai, Guwahati, and Ranchi as examples where it is nice to see Test matches being played. He believes it is essential to conduct matches at different grounds to spread cricket to every corner of the country, thereby expanding the reach of the sport.
