The Eden Gardens was not the only World Cup venue in
India to be less than fully ready to be passed fit for the ICC cricket event
whose opening is just a fortnight away. Eden Garden the biggest cricket venue
in the world, with a seating capacity of close to 100,000, had to undergo a
huge makeover. But that is no reason that it should miss three different
deadlines. The CAB has one last chance on Feb. 7 to pass the ultimate test in
order to salvage the remaining three matches. The first of the four matches
allotted to Kolkata, the India-England tie, has already been shifted to
Bangalore.
What is the reason that Eden Gardens' makeover lagged
behind so much? It could not have been financial reasons, as it is one of the
richest cricket associations in the country and there is also the fact that the
BCCI grants generous funds for the development of the various state
associations for their stadiums.
It is just that some people who hold high office in the
sports bodies in the country are generally laid-back and the other reason for
the delays is cost saving. There were other venues also which were behind
schedule in the progress of their works, including Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium,
which is due to hold the 2011 World Cup final. But once the whip was cracked,
everything fell into place. It was, however, not so with Cricket Association of
Bengal. They have thus lost a prestigious match from the spectators' point of
view.
Cricket fans in the country along with the players of
both the Indian and England teams are greatly disappointed and rightly so. It
is indeed like the main stage being removed just before the start of an
elaborate show. A packed Eden Garden with a big match being played under lights
is a sight for the gods. Now the minor matches may not draw big crowds and will
not provide the usual spectacle. The officials will surely rue the lack of a
sense of urgency in their approach. In the end, the die-hard cricket fans are
the worst sufferer.
