India suffered a crushing 30-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The match ended in just two and a half days due to a rank-turner pitch. India were set a target of 124 runs, but the Indian batsmen collapsed like a pack of cards against the South African spinners.
The pitch of Eden Gardens at central of discussion
The Eden Gardens pitch has been heavily criticized, with former players constantly raising questions. Following the defeat, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the pitch in a press conference. Gambhir stated that claims of the wicket being unplayable are false; the pitch tested technique and patience.
Gautam Gambhir said at the press conference, “There was no problem with the pitch; it was exactly what we had asked for. If you are mentally strong and play with good defensive technique, runs could have been scored on this pitch. Batsmen need to be more mentally strong than their technique. The fast bowlers took most of the wickets, and the target of 124 was achievable.”
The Indian coach added, “There was no shortage of wickets. Axar Patel and Temba Bavuma scored runs. If you take 40 wickets, the fast bowlers will also have many wickets. This was a pitch that challenged mental toughness, technique, and patience. KL Rahul, Temba, and Washington Sundar displayed strong defense. We have played on such pitches before.”
Gambhir insisted, “This was exactly the pitch we were looking for. The curator helped us a lot. If you have a strong defense, you can be successful.”
This is what Rishabh Pant said
“We should have chased this score. We were under pressure in the second innings and couldn’t capitalize. Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch put on a brilliant partnership in the second innings. This partnership brought them back into the match. A score like 120 can be difficult, but as a team we need to be able to absorb the pressure and capitalize. The match is over now, so we haven’t thought about these improvements yet. We will definitely come back in the match”, Rishabh Pant said.
