Prabir Mukherjee, who was the Eden Gardens curator for over two decades, died at the age of 86 at his home in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Mukherjee’s involvement with cricket administration and pitch preparation dated back to 1951-52 with Suburban Club, four years after an accident ended his playing days as a fast bowler and football goalkeeper. His first stint at Eden Gardens came in 1964, after he became secretary of the Bengal National Railways Club.
Mukherjee moved to the Cricket Association of Bengal in 1979-80, went on to manage the Bengal and East Zone teams, and served in an official capacity as secretary of the CAB committee. He helped make the pitch for the 1987 World Cup final.
Mukherjee was firm when it came to his principles. When India captain MS Dhoni asked for a square turner against England during the 2012 Test series, Mukherjee had refused and produced a pitch that he thought produced good cricket, one that was “very firm, with even bounce”
Mukherjee had overseen pitch and ground preparation during the ICC Knockout Trophy in 1998 in Dhaka. His last assignment was the Twenty20 between India and South Africa in October 2015, after which he had a falling out with the CAB.
