India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I: Toss could well be boss at Eden Gardens too | Cricket News – Times of India

KOLKATA: The toss takes care of half the contest, the cricketers have to handle the rest.
Clearly, this is not quite the ideal situation and surely cannot be called fair. After all, tossing the coin is considered to be giving both sides equal chance. However, the compulsions of match timings and the fact that dew starts settling down soon after dusk make the contest an uneven one, particularly in this time of the year.
In fact, during this time, why can’t a T20 match start early, at least on a Sunday as in the case of the third match of the India-New Zealand series here at the Eden Gardens?
“Maybe it can, but I am sure it is not an easy call to take,” says former India player and ex-national selector Devang Gandhi. “There could be so many complexities, which we are unaware of.” However, he agrees that a day game might make the contest a lot more even. “Dew will definitely be a factor at the Eden Gardens too,” Gandhi said. “And therefore, the toss becomes crucial.”

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday. (ANI Photo)
International cricket will be back at the Eden Gardens after two years and Gandhi reckons 160-170 would be par score for the team batting first. “Many would think I am being a little conservative, but the Eden track, which was relaid around four years back, has a lot to offer to the bowlers too,” he explained. “The pacers in particular, will enjoy bowling on this track. They will get a good bounce.” But then, the spinners might have trouble gripping the ball once the dew starts playing its tricks. “I would say the first six overs of both innings will be crucial.”
The crowd too will be back at the Eden and that is something Gandhi is looking forward too. “The Indians are used to playing in front of big crowds and the fans here have always been lively. The players will definitely enjoy the atmosphere.”
With the city having seen large crowd at various festivals in recent times, the Eden could well be the preferred destination on Sunday. The demand for tickets have been high. “I would not be surprised to see a packed house, of course maintaining the social distancing norms,” Gandhi said.
And there is surely going to be a roar when Kolkata’s favourite boy Sourav Ganguly rings the bell to announce the start of the contest. In the shadow of pandemic and bio-bubble, it will be cricket as usual at the iconic Eden.