Ganguly Backs BCCI, Says Tests Must Reach Beyond Traditional Venues

Former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly has expressed support for the BCCI’s plan to take Test cricket across new venues , even as he cherishes the chance to host matches at the iconic Eden Gardens .

Unveiling Team India’s 2026-27 home season , the BCCI announced that traditional venues like Kolkata and Mumbai would not host the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia , which is scheduled in Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Ahmedabad from January 21 to February 25, 2027.

Speaking on the sidelines of the book launch ‘Miracle at Eden’ by Sportstar , Ganguly said, “It’s always great to have big Test matches back at Eden Gardens. As CAB president and a former player, I would like to host Tests here. But we already had the Test against South Africa, T20 World Cup games, and IPL fixtures.”

He added, “As much as you would like to host matches at Eden, it is important that cricket goes to other venues as well.” For context, Eden Gardens last hosted a Test against South Africa in November 2025 and will not feature a Test in the 2026–27 home season, while Wankhede Stadium last hosted a Test in November 2024 and is also not scheduled for a Test this season.

India’s 2026-27 home season will feature series against West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Australia across formats, with Kolkata and Mumbai hosting only white-ball matches . Guwahati, which made its Test debut in November 2025 , will host its second Test , while Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium returns as a venue.

On the sidelining of traditional centres, Ganguly backed the BCCI , saying, “Stadiums all around India are very good. I am happy to see Tests at Chennai, Guwahati, and Ranchi, where the facilities are excellent.”

However, former India spinner Venkatapathy Raju favoured a return to historic Test venues, highlighting the charm of the five traditional centres – Kolkata, Kanpur, Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai .

Ganguly also revealed plans to organise a reunion of the 2001 Test team at Eden Gardens, which has been delayed due to the wedding of Sachin Tendulkar’s son. Reflecting on his captaincy, he said several Test victories meant more to him than the 2002 NatWest Trophy triumph, noting that the tournament was played in the 50-over ODI format. He cited memorable wins in Calcutta, Chennai, Pakistan, Headingley and Adelaide as being particularly significant.

“We had won nine games in a row to reach the NatWest final. But Test cricket will always be special,” he added.