Sourav Ganguly speaks on government control of Eden Gardens for Mahalaya event as Ranji Trophy tie shifted

Bengal’s Ranji Trophy home game against Delhi is being shifted from Eden Gardens as the stadium is set to host a grand Durga Puja event on Mahalaya. It will be hosted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly has backed the West Bengal government’s temporary takeover of Eden Gardens for the major cultural programme.

Sourav Ganguly speaks on government control of Eden Gardens for Mahalaya event as Ranji Trophy tie shifted

Ganguly, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, told reporters:

“Whatever the state government and the honourable chief minister direct us to do, we will follow it. The Prime Minister is also supposed to attend.”

The iconic Kolkata stadium will remain under state control from 25 September to 15 October 2026 to allow preparations for a four-hour Mahalaya event on the morning of 10 October. The programme, organised by the West Bengal Tourism Department and the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, will mark the start of Durga Puja festivities.

As a result, Bengal’s Ranji Trophy opener against Delhi, originally scheduled to begin on 11 October at Eden Gardens, has been moved to Kalyani. The CAB has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of the change. This is the first time the venue has been handed over to the state government for such an extended period for a non-cricket event of this scale.

Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, had earlier announced that Eden Gardens will be hosting a special four-hour programme on the morning of Mahalaya to mark the start of the Durga Puja festivities. The program is set for a huge gathering, which will involve thousands of drones, fireworks, visual effects, and more. In addition to these, Shreya Ghoshal is also set to perform.

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