Former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday that despite incessant rain in the city, the historic Eden Gardens will be ready for the One-day International match between India and Australia, to be played on September 21. "The ground is in good shape and will be ready for the ODI. It rained a lot these few days but we have all bases covered," Ganguly told reporters.
Earlier, pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee had expressed concern over the preparations getting hampered as seasonal monsoon showers lashed the city with severity in recent weeks.
India will play five ODIs against Australia, starting September 17.
India will kick-off their ODI campaign against Steven Smith's team at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Eden will host the second ODI on September 21. Indore's Holkar Cricket Stadium is venue for the third ODI, while M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, and the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot will host the fourth and fifth ODIs, respectively.
Virat Kohli and his team have been in red-hot form having thrashed Sri Lanka in their home 9-0 across Tests, ODIs and one Twenty20 International.
The upcoming India-Australia series, scheduled from September 17 to October 13, will be played as per existing laws of the game despite new ICC rules coming into effect from September 28.
India will play as per new rules when New Zealand tour in mid-October. However, the rules will take effect when Bangladesh take on South Africa and Pakistan take on Sri Lanka.
The new set of rules pertaining to the code of conduct, DRS usage, and size of the equipment were supposed to be implemented from October 1 but with the twin Test series starting on September 28, it has been decided that it will come to effect from that very date.
While the India vs Australia series -- comprising five ODIs and three T20 Internationals -- will continue till the second week of October, the ICC has decided that it would only be prudent that this series is played as per old rules to avoid confusion.
(With PTI inputs)