India coach Gautam Gambhir (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra) Debate on the Eden Gardens surface from the opening Test of India Vs. South Africa has become the center of attention in cricket circles. India stumbled in their chase of 124 on Day 3, leading many to question whether the choice of pitch was wrong. Despite the noise, head coach Gautam Gambhir claimed the team got exactly the wicket they asked for and insisted it was not unplayable. South Africa’s spinners took advantage of the conditions to seal their first Test win on Indian soil since 2010. Former cricketers have expressed conflicting views. Harbhajan Singh criticized the choice of surface, but Robin Uthappa came out strongly in Gambhir’s defense, saying the coach should not be blamed for the collapse.
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Uthappa responded to comments that he was defending Gambhir during a live broadcast on YouTube. “Yaar, coach thodi jaake khel raha hai andar,” he said, pointing out that the coach is not the one in the middle facing the bowlers. He added that criticism of coaches often ignores the bigger picture and said former head coach Rahul Dravid was also unfairly targeted. He said that someone who has scored 20,000 to 30,000 international runs deserves more respect and that the tendency to troll top figures shows how easily anyone can become a target. Uthappa then moved on to the topic of pitch preparation. He highlighted the stark contrast between domestic and international cricket. He recalled that neutral curators had once been appointed to oversee pitch conditions in domestic competitions, and that country members and associations were cautioned if a match finished within two days. Yet at international level, even matches ending in two-and-a-half days often pass without similar scrutiny. He noted that Ranji Trophy teams are discouraged from preparing turns, although the gradually turning surfaces on Day 3 and Day 4 help develop batsmen who can cope with spin. According to Uthappa, India’s reluctance to prepare such pitches has contributed to the players struggling in conditions that demand high-level play.
