Will Eden be ready in time?

Last time that the country’s grandest cricketing venue had hosted an international match was in March,when we were invited to watch closely some of the world’s most unheralded cricketers. Ireland,Holland and Kenya were our tenuous links to the cricketing extravaganza after the marquee India-England fixture was taken away as the stadium was not ready. What a let-down!

Of late,however,things have started to change. Kolkata is set to host back-to-back international matches — an ODI between India and England on October 25 and a T20 international between the two teams four days later. Are we ready for the cricketing feast?

Indeed,so much has changed in Indian cricket since the World Cup. As the world champions,we had the world at our feet till the Poms taught us a few cricketing lessons. England showed us that cricket is a simple game of bat and ball and you need to plan properly to win matches. Skill is more important than financial might.

The powers-that-be in Indian cricket,however,are reluctant learners. Maybe they are too busy to think about the development of the game. To their credit,they always try to suffer fools gladly.

Cricket politics seem to have always got the preference over cricket in India and the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has gained considerably in the latest backroom manoeuvrings. Jagmohan Dalmiya and

N Srinivasan have decided to bury the hatchet and move closer. Srinivasan is now the BCCI president and CAB president Dalmiya is one of his close aides. A Dalmiya confidant,who bungled big-time and had invited the World Cup chaos,is now a BCCI office bearer.

About four years ago,Dalmiya was suspended from the BCCI and was eventually ousted from the CAB. He has returned with his honours intact but bereft of power. And suddenly Srinivasan extended an olive branch. “Nothing is static in life and (Indian) cricket,” an ex-BCCI official summed up the whole episode.

Eden,however,has turned out to be the ultimate gainer. After a gap of 20 months it has an opportunity to play host to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys for international matches. Kolkata was awarded five Champions League T20 matches as well but weather played spoilsport and the matches had to be moved out.

The fans missed the chance to see Shah Rukh Khan’s Knight Riders before Puja but they can more than make up for the loss on Diwali eve.

Will Eden be ready in time? It has started to make the crawl and hopefully everything will be fine. Twice bitten,we,however,are shy to take anything for granted.