All the venues that host IPL games, including Eden Gardens, will not be able to host any Ranji Trophy or local matches from February onwards.
According to a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directive, the 10 centres which host IPL matches have to be ready and prepared for the franchises’ use from the first week of March. The next edition of the IPL is slated for an early start owing to the parliamentary elections.
Apart from Eden Gardens, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Mohali, Jaipur, Lucknow and Hyderabad are the other IPL centres.
“Usually, once the domestic season is over, the centres concerned get around three weeks or so to freshen up and be prepared for the IPL.
“This time, because of the parliamentary elections, the IPL is set to begin a little bit earlier.
“So, the BCCI, very recently, has instructed all the IPL centres to not host any Ranji, club or any other local matches from February onwards.
“The ground has to be kept ready so that the franchises can begin with their preparations from the first week of March itself,” an official of one of the state associations told The Telegraph on Monday.
Going by the Board’s directive, Bengal will be able to play just one Ranji game
at the Eden this season: against Chhattisgarh from January 19, which is their first home match.
“In that case, Bengal will have to play their home matches at either the BCA (Bengal Cricket Academy) ground in Kalyani or the Jadavpur University Salt Lake campus ground,” Eden curator Sujan Mukherjee said.
It remains to be seen if the Cricket Association of Bengal puts in a request to the BCCI so that Bengal’s next Ranji home game against Mumbai (from February 2) at least is allowed at the Eden as it’s a marquee clash.
