By yadanarbon 
Woke up before sunrise today because honestly, can’t sleep when there’s Test cricket brewing. Grabbed my old boots and that slightly cracked pitch gauge – you know the one I always use – then fought through Kolkata traffic heading straight to Eden Gardens. Security guard Vinod gave the usual nod, been letting me poke around for years now.
First impressions walking onto that turf? Air smelled heavy, like rain might show up later but the ground staff swore they’d covered everything last night. Grass felt weird – not lush green, more like tired yellow stubble cut real short. Pressed my palm flat on the strip near the Pavilion End. Dry. Crumbs of dirt stuck to my sweat. Curator Babu-da shuffled over, grinning. “Good toss to lose,” he says. That told me everything.
The Real Dirty Work
Got down on my knees for the close stuff:
- Surface cracks: Not huge gaping ones, but thin lines spiderwebbing across, especially middle of the pitch. Perfect for seamers after lunch when things heat up.
- Moisture check: Dug a finger in about an inch deep. Bottom felt slightly damp, like clay that hasn’t dried fully. Top layer? Dusty as an old bookshelf. Sweep your hand across it and a little puff of dust rises.
- Grass coverage: Measured with my gauge – barely 4mm left on most areas. They’ve shaved it down alright. Bare patches near the bowling crease too.
Heard the roller grinding away nearby. Groundsmen watering the outfield like crazy but avoiding the pitch like it’s cursed. Saw one fella patting down footmarks with the flat of his spade – careful work.
Putting the Pieces Together
Stood back and squinted. Pitch has this two-tone look – darker patches where they watered yesterday, lighter where it baked under covers. Morning session? Ball gonna skid on nicely for batters if they survive. But come afternoon… that sun cracks the surface wider, spinners lick their lips. Felt the crust crumbling under my boot edge.
Match prediction? Gotta be honest:
- Toss winner bowls first. Easy choice. This curator loves making batsmen cry later.
- First hour & after lunch – pace bowlers feast. Cloud cover? Even better for swing.
- Day 3 onward – dustbowl ballet. Spin dominates unless someone gets really brave with reverse swing.
Who wins? Team with bigger balls to stick it out against spin. My gut says… whichever side fields Ravindra Jadeja or someone like him. Done my time scraping dirt from under my nails. Eden’s playing tricks again.
