South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj and teammates celebrate (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The first Test between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens ended in a dramatic 30-run defeat for India, who were bowled out for 93/9 while chasing a modest target of 124. Shubman Gill was unable to bat due to injury, adding to the hosts’ woes. Beyond the result, the match sparked heated debate on a pitch that seemed to be crumbling under the pressure and threatened to end in less than three days. Former Indian captain and Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly has now turned his attention to the Indian team itself. He said the pitch was prepared as per the preferences of the Indian camp and Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee should not be blamed for its rapid deterioration. Ganguly also revealed that the surface was not watered for four days before the start of the Test, which contributed to its unpredictable behaviour.
No days off as captain Shubman Gill, coach Gautam Gambhir arrive in Kolkata for the Test series
“The pitch is what the Indian camp wanted. That’s what happens when you don’t water the pitch for four days. Curator Sujan Mukherjee is not to blame,” Ganguly told News18 Bangla. The unusual nature of the goal prompted reactions from several former players. Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said the early failure of the pitch was due to it not being watered the night before the match. However, former South African pacer Vernon Philander urged the focus to be on the players rather than the pitch, stressing that the essence of Test cricket is to adapt to the conditions. Batting coach Ashwell Prince admitted the surface had eroded batsmen’s confidence, saying: “You can’t commit to a shot when the ball goes out or stays low randomly.” Former spinner Harbhajan Singh also criticized the pitch and warned that such surfaces threaten the future of the longest format. “If we keep serving it, Test cricket won’t need the opposition to die: we’ll kill it ourselves,” he said on his YouTube channel. With the ICC likely to rate Eden Gardens as “bad” and potentially demerit points, the Kolkata wicket controversy continues, raising questions about the pitch preparation and its impact on the integrity of Test cricket.
