Eden pitch to help seamers, wrist spinners

KOLKATA: Kolkata Knight Riders have an enviable home record as they had almost developed a citadel at the Eden Gardens that is difficult to breach over the years.
But the ground has changed its character after the relaying of the surface in 2015 and instead of the spinners having a ball, it’s time for the pacers to come to the fore at the Eden wicket this time.
There is plenty of grass on all the three surfaces that have been kept ready for KKR’s seven home matches this season. Although some of that grass will be trimmed, it was learnt that the wickets will still have fair bit of grass cover.
The home team will be missing Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc badly as the left-hander could have generated a fair bit of bounce from this wicket. However, the team management is hopeful that his replacement Tom Curran along with India U-19 pacers Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi can take full advantage of the track.
But that doesn’t mean new skipper Dinesh Karthik has to plan his attack without taking his spinners into consideration. It will not only be their seamers, but even wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawala will find the bounce to their advantage. Mystery spinner Sunil Narine can also prove deadly on this track that will provide extra bit of bounce.
However, another wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who will also horn his skill on the track on Sunday for the Royal Challengers Bangalore told TOI “the wicket last year provided a fair bit of turn and I hope to get such assist this time too.”
Dew, however, can play a part in the latter half of the game. The batsmen will also love to play their shots on the wicket where the ball will come on to the bat and travel to the boundary fast on a lush green outfield. “It will be difficult to chase down the ball if it passes a fielder,” a ground staff said. Expect some high-scoring matches at the Eden Gardens this season.