Veteran Eden curator admits being sidelined

Kolkata, Nov 28 (IANS) Veteran Eden Gardens curator Prabir Mukherjee Wednesday said he will not have much of a say in preparation of the pitch for the third India−England Test, beginning Dec 5, with the East Zone curator Ashish Bhowmick being brought in to oversee the ground.

While the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) called it a routine affair, Bhowmick’s appointment comes in the wake of Mukherjee’s refusal to prepare a rank turner which Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had asked for.

“He (Bhowmick) is my boss as he would be overseeing my work here,” is how a dejected Mukherjee described his relation with the East Zone curator who reached the city Wednesday and would be participating in the pitch preparation Thursday onwards.

“Mukherjee’s position hasn’t changed a bit. Bhowmick is from our zone and it’s almost customary for him to drop in before a Test match to discuss wicket−related issues with Mukherjee. Because India lost badly in Mumbai, people are trying to make issue out of something very ordinary,” CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya said.

After India suffered a humiliating 10−wicket loss to England on a spinning track in the Mumbai Test, Dhoni had insisted for a similar rank turner for the Eden Garden Test as well.

The demand prompted Mukherjee to ask for a written instruction from the BCCI and described Dhoni’s demand as “unethical”.

Though Mukherjee refused to judge the nature of the Eden pitch for the upcoming Test, CAB joint−secretary Sujan Mukherjee said the wicket will be prepared keeping “home advantage” in mind.

The veteran curator who has prepared pitches for 14 Tests in the past also hinted at hanging up his boots soon.

“My family has been pressurising me to quit while my doctors too have advised the same,” added Mukherjee.

The four−Test series between India and England is tied 1−1.

IANS 2012-11-28 19:14:14