Finally, after six years of waiting, the red-ball game is set to return to Kolkata’s cricketing cathedral, Eden Gardens, which has seen everything from Pelé in 1977 to VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid’s unforgettable 2001 rescue that humbled the mighty Australians.
For the first time since that pink-ball Test against Bangladesh in 2019, the third largest cricket stadium in the world will witness whites under the winter the city is now preparing for another as India begin reigning World Test Champions, South Africa, on November 14.
Notably, the Mecca of Indian cricket has hosted 42 Tests, more than any other Indian venue.
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Jadeja sole survivor in India's revamped Test Squad
The Indian team that last walked out at Eden has been totally revamped. The 2019 side, led by Virat Kohli, was a juggernaut. Rohit Sharma opened with Mayank Agarwal, while Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane anchored the middle order. Wriddhiman Saha kept wickets, and the all-round pairing of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin added balance.
India unleashed its full pace trio with Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav on home soil. They accounted for 19 of Bangladesh’s 20 wickets in an innings-and-46-run demolition.
Six years on, almost everything has changed. Kohli, Rohit, Pujara, Saha, and Ashwin have all walked away from the format; Agarwal, Rahane, Umesh, Shami, and Ishant have slipped from the selectors’ radar.
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Only one remains, Ravindra Jadeja. The Saurashtra all-rounder stands alone, the last survivor from that 2019 match.
However, still a few familiar names linger on the fringes. Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Kuldeep Yadav were part of that 2019 squad but didn’t make the playing XI. They, along with Hanuma Vihari, had witnessed the historic pink-ball from the sidelines.
