Magnus Carlsen-Viswanathan Anand on Sourav Ganguly’s wishlist to ring Eden bell
Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand would probably ring the customary Eden bell on one of the days during the historic Day-Night Test between India and Bangladesh in Kolkata from November 22-26. According to CAB sources, Anand has already accepted the invitation and BCCI await Carlsen’s response.
Reigning world chess champions Magnus Carlsen and former world champion Viswanathan Anand would probably ring the customary Eden bell on one of the days during the historic Day-Night Test between India and Bangladesh in Kolkata from November 22-26.
The Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI, which is organising the first-ever Day-Night Test in India, is awaiting confirmation from the Norwegian world champion, who would be competing in the Tata Steel Chess India - Rapid & Blitz 2019, the penultimate leg of the Grand Chess Tour at the National Library in Kolkata.
"The BCCI has invited Carlsen to ring the Eden bell and if time permits, he along with Anand will be seen at the stadium in one of the five days," Jeet Banerjee, director of Gameplan Sports, the official sponsors and branding partner of the tour, said to the PTI on Thursday.
According to sources of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), Anand has already accepted the invitation and they are now awaiting a nod from Carlsen, which could make it a double delight. Working out the logistics could be a concern due to the timings of both the events as the Test match will get underway at 1 pm while the CGT Kolkata circuit will start at 2 pm.
The first day’s proceedings of the Test is slated to begin with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ringing the Eden Bell. A galaxy of Indian sports stars including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, tennis star Sania Mirza, Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra, world badminton champion PV Sindhu and six-time boxing world champion MC Mary Kom among others would be seen in the Test.
The CAB will also felicitate the team members of the first-ever Bangladesh-IndiaTest in 2000, a game where Sourav Ganguly, the current BCCI president, made his debut as Test captain. The first day of the historic match in Kolkata could witness a helicopter revolving around the Eden Gardens from which a skydiver will come flying into the ground with the trophy.
