Sourav Ganguly gets stuck in a lift at Eden Gardens

The CAB president Sourav Ganguly survived a scare when he was trapped in the clubhouse lift at the Eden Gardens. The former India skipper had to be pulled out to safety with the use of a stool.

The Club House is the first and the oldest block which was constructed in the stadium that boasts a capacity of 66,000. When Ganguly was on his way to the CAB office on the first floor, the manually operated door of the lift got stuck between the two levels. But before any mishap could occur, the security personnel quickly came to the rescue.

“We quickly disconnected the power and manually opened the door. A stool was lowered inside and Dada came out by climbing on it. When such things happen we quickly turn off the power and open the grill lock manually,” a security official told PTI.

The switchover of power in the stadium was cited as the reason for the lift’s malfunction.

“The lift was installed during the renovation work of the stadium way back in 1987 when it hosted the World Cup final,” a former CAB secretary said.

The iconic stadium underwent renovation for the 2011 World Cup. The largest cricket stadium in India and the second largest in the world, the stadium has previously been in the limelight for wrong reasons. Several matches in the stadium in the past have suffered due to sudden malfunctions in the floodlights.

The stadium, however, has hosted several big encounters including the recent India-Pakistan WLT20 game and the finals of the same tournament.

The venue is also known for its very moderate pricing of tickets. Don’t be surprised to hear that you can sit in the first row of the stadium at only Rs. 200 during a Test match. During the IPL and ODIs, however, the tickets are priced much higher.

When asked to comment on the facilities in the stadium, Ganguly said, “We have done a wonderful work with the ground. It has been raining regularly. It’s so early in the season, but still, we are good to begin the Test match even today. The groundsmen have done a tremendous job.”

He further added, “It is an iconic venue. And unless it has world class facilities, it will not live up to its billing. We have begun with the Test match, and by the time IPL comes a lot more will be done.”

Talking of the pitch for the second Test, it will not be as dry as the one we saw in Kanpur. The moisture on the wicket may not benefit the spinners much. While New Zealand has the benefit of the pitch, the men-in-blue will try to continue their form from the last game.

This will be the 250^th Test Match for India at home.