“I wanted to surround my life with cricket” - Eden Gardens pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee on Ep. 4 of Dream Big Stories
Eden Gardens is unarguably one of the most iconic cricket grounds in India. The stadium has produced some riveting encounters over the years. For the last seven years, former first-class cricketer Sujan Mukherjee has been in charge of the surface at the stadium as a pitch curator.
In Episode 4 of Dream Big Stories, a project by SK Brand Studio powered by Dream11, Mukherjee opened up on how landed the "dream job" and what it means to him. He revealed:
“I was a cricketer before. I have played for Bengal. Because of cricket, I got a job with the Customs office. But I wanted to surround my life with cricket. It was my dream to always be a part of the game. I thought about moving to cricket administration and so I did. However, I wanted to be closer to the ground.”
Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya gave Mukherjee his "first opportunity" at the Kalyani University Campus, at the district level in West Bengal. He recalled:
“I went there and started curating the pitch and the ground and successfully completed the task. Since then, my career as a pitch curator began.”
“Sourav Ganguly had invited me to supervise at the Eden Gardens” - Sujan Mukherjee
Mukherjee added that in 2015, former India captain Sourav Ganguly asked him to take charge of the pitch at Eden Gardens. He stated:
“In 2015, a match between India and South Africa was abandoned due to rain. At that time, Sourav Ganguly had invited me to supervise at the Eden Gardens. I was very surprised as it is a big and historical ground and one of the best grounds in the world.”
Admitting that he was under pressure, Mukherjee stated that since getting a hang of the role, he has won a few awards as well. He said:
“In these seven years, I got three best ground awards from the board, including ‘Best Ground in IPL’ and ‘Overall Best Ground in India’.”
Explaining what goes into preparing a good pitch, Mukherjee said that soil and grass covering matters a lot. He elaborated:
To prepare a good pitch, it is vital to have good soil, good grass cover and regular supervision. Be it an international or domestic match, it takes 2-3 months to prepare a pitch.”
Concluding his thoughts on being the pitch in-charge of one of India’s greatest stadiums, Mukherjee signed off by asserting:
“As a curator, it will always be my attempt to prepare a top-class pitch on which spectacular cricket will be played for entertainment of fans.”
Mukherjee’s ‘pitch-perfect’ story is an endearing example of a ‘grounded’ dream that got wings!
Also Read: "My father couldn't play, so he started making bats under his name" - Sareen Sports Industries MD Jatin Sareen on Ep. 3 of Dream Big Stories