Chappell

Calcutta: Munaf Patel was the first Team India player to reach the city for Thursday’s first ODI versus Sri Lanka, his flight from Ahmedabad landing at 11.45 pm, an hour and a quarter behind schedule.

The rest of the team members and the coach are expected to arrive in batches on Tuesday morning. Team India’s first practice session is scheduled at 3 pm Tuesday.

The Sri Lankans, who will arrive around noon on Tuesday and put up at a different hotel, will have their first nets the day after.

Meanwhile, Subhas Chakraborty did another ‘somersault’ after the first meeting of the match-related steering committee which he heads.

“I never intended to become the CAB president…” said Chakraborty. That was difficult to understand coming from a man who wanted to contest the CAB presidency against police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee before ultimately opting out.

Chakraborty backed the police chief to the hilt. “This time the organisation of the match will be better as the police commissioner is the president.”

Not many days ago, it maybe recalled, the minister had wondered how a police commissioner would run the cricket association.

Mukherjee also expressed satisfaction and said it was a small but important meeting. “We have suggested Mohun Bagan Club light up their ground on the match day so that the place around the stadium will be illuminated.”

In the wake of the infamous Greg Chappell incident in Bhubaneswar, Mukherjee said, “security here is on a much larger scale.”

Monday’s meeting also decided the following:

Tickets: With tickets of denominations Rs 150, 550, 700 and 900 already sold out, the remaining ones in the Rs 1200 category will be up for sale at Gate No. 4 of the Eden on Tuesday.

Transport: Metro services will be extended for an hour and 100 buses would be made available till 1 am on match day.