SOURAV GANGULY

The 2025-26 season has been excellent in terms of administration and hosting international and local tournaments.
Firstly, CAB and Eden Gardens successfully organized the first Test of the India vs South Africa two-match series on November 14, 2025, being the first Test match hosted by the iconic Eden Gardens after a gap of six years. On the eve of the Test match, CAB organized the Jagmohan Dalmiya Conclave, in presence of cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Anil Kumble. Mr. Gavaskar delivered the speech on the occasion.
CAB also felicitated Bengal’s very own wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh, who played a pivotal role in India’s historic triumph at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. Anustup Majumdar was also felicitated for scaling the 100 First-Class match milestone.
The Association successfully hosted seven matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the most in a single edition of a World Cup at the Eden Gardens. The mega event began on February 7, 2026 with Eden Gardens hosting five group-stage, one Super Eight between India-West Indies and the first semifinal.
Following the T20 World Cup, the Eden Gardens successfully hosted seven IPL home matches of Kolkata Knight Riders. The 2026 IPL season was a memorable one for the Association as BCCI awarded Eden Gardens with the ‘Best Pitch & Ground Award’. I would like to congratulate CAB Chief Curator Sujan Mukherjee, CAB Groundsmen and everyone involved in this achievement.
For the first time ever, we organized the Bengal T20 League players’ auction for both the men’s and women’s category. The third edition in 2026 became even more glamorous with players going under the hammer. I would like to congratulate Shrachi Rarh Tigers and Adamas Howrah Warriors for emerging champions in the men’s and women’s competition respectively.
In the BCCI domestic season, our men’s senior team finished as semifinalists in the Ranji Trophy. All Bengal men’s and women age-group teams also performed well in their respective competitions.
Coming to the local CAB season, we began the season on October 27, 2025 with the Inter District Men’s T20 Tournament in Balurghat and Birbhum. I would like to thank each and everyone involved in making the grounds match-ready and getting all the preparations in place to begin the season. In the 2025-26 season, CAB organized 2392 matches, of which 254 matches were in districts and 28 University matches across all competitions. I would like to congratulate Town Club for emerging winners in the First Division League Championship.
We organized the Women’s Club Cricket One-Day and T20 tournaments with a record 40 teams in the 2025-26 season. The expansion gave the young girls an excellent opportunity to prove their skills.
To ensure the highest standards of excellence and transparency, an independent screening panel comprising distinguished former International and First-Class cricketers - Arun Lal, Devang Gandhi, and Kalyan Choudhury - was formed to screen and shortlist the candidates. The evaluation was conducted strictly independently through comprehensive interviews, ensuring a fair, merit-based, and unbiased selection process. Based on the panel’s thorough assessment and recommendations, names of head coaches and deputy coaches of Bengal senior and age-groups were announced.
In addition to the coaching appointments, CAB had also invited applications for the critical positions of Support Staff across both Senior and Age Group teams. To maintain the utmost integrity and professionalism, the evaluation for these roles was conducted by an independent panel of the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
In this era of fast-track cricket and with the game evolving fast, we are introducing wearable GPS Technologies for Athlete Monitoring System for the Bengal Senior and Age Group teams which will help monitor the players’ fitness and workload.
CAB acquired 8.93 acres of land situated at Mouza Shibpur, Howrah at the Dumurjala premises, from Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) to build a state-of-the-art Cricket Centre of Excellence and to promote and develop cricket in West Bengal. The cricketing journey at the Dumurjala Cricket Academy began on December 18, 2025 with the Association hosting its first match in the CAB Second Division League followed by many more league matches.
As I conclude my speech, I would like to thank the Apex Council members for stepping up and taking important decisions on various issues related to the Association.
I would also like to thank all members present here along with my fellow office bearers, chairperson of various committees, committee members, Apex Council members, backroom staff for their constant support during the 2025-26 season. I would also like to thank the curators, coaches, support staff and the players who have given their best to keep the Association’s flag flying high.
I wish all of you the best for the forthcoming season.
Thank you.