Brian Lara, one of the greatest batsmen to have played the game of cricket, lives with a big regret. A regret so big that he calls it a “shame”.

What is it? It is the fact — a very strange one, really — that despite playing 131 Tests in a career that spanned almost 16 years, he never played one at Eden Gardens.

Lara, one of the guests at the Jagmohan Dalmiya Annual Conclave 2018 hosted by the Cricket Association of Bengal on Friday, revealed that during a talk show which also involved former India captains Mohammed Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly, Rohit Sharma and Carl Hooper.

“I have never played a Test match at the Eden… It’s such a big shame and disappointment. I did play in the Hero Cup final (in November, 1993) here, but the memories of that aren’t that sweet,” Lara said.

The occasion also marked 25 years of the first match under floodlights at the Eden during the Hero Cup. The final was between India and the West Indies, which the hosts won by 102 runs.

Lara, opening the innings, was dismissed by Sachin Tendulkar for 33. Recounting those memories, Lara said: “I got out to Sachin… It was a bit of an inswinger… He did of bit of everything, with the off-break, leg-break and seam up deliveries… So I was a bit confused.”

Hooper, who too was a part of that team, had sweeter memories about the Eden. “The Eden hasn’t changed much. This is the ground where I scored my first Test hundred (against India, in 1987)… But I also played the Hero Cup final here, a match that we lost. So there are bitter-sweet experiences,” Hooper said.

Hooper was dismissed by Anil Kumble, who turned out to be the hero of the final taking six wickets for just 12 runs.

“I had a soft spot for Kumble. He was such a champion, and yet you couldn’t see any of that on his face. I mean, take someone like Virat Kohli, whenever you see him you know you are looking at a fiery Indian. But you couldn’t say that with Kumble. I have always liked how the Indians have played their cricket,” Hooper said.

Lara, by the way, rushed to catch a flight to Bangalore on completion of the proceedings.