Kuldeep Yadav offered a blunt assessment of the Guwahati surface after South Africa stiffened in the second Test, describing it as “like a road” after another grueling day in the field for the Indian bowlers. What started as a promising position for the hosts quickly turned into a difficult one, with Kuldeep’s words reflecting the challenge of operating with a wicket that appeared to offer the bowlers next to nothing.
Speech at a press conference after the second day’s playthe left-arm spinner compared the Guwahati pitch to the surface used in the Kolkata Test and highlighted how different the two conditions were. According to him, the Guwahati wicket allowed the batsmen to play with much more freedom, making it extremely difficult for the bowlers to create any kind of sustained pressure.
IND vs. SA, 2nd test day 2 main points | Scorecard
“Kolkata was different. This was a flat road. That’s the challenge of Test cricket. As a bowler, you want to dominate every day, but when you get good wickets to bat, you have to find ways to come back. We played with a lot of control yesterday, but one encounter with a long partnership set us back,” Kuldeep said.
“Overall, everyone tried. The bowlers didn’t help much – not even the pacers. This is Test cricket – you have to enjoy it, learn from it and mature into these situations. You shouldn’t think too much about the wicket, just play and adapt. I’m sure the next Test will have a better wicket for the bowlers. No complaints,” he added.
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From “spicy” Kolkata to flat Guwahati
Kuldeep’s remarks come in the middle the ongoing debate about the pitch conditions in this series. After India’s loss in the Kolkata Test, the Eden Gardens surface was criticized for being too difficult for the batsmen. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the track, saying there was nothing extreme or unfair about it and that challenging wickets were part of Test cricket. His comments divided opinion, with some former players questioning whether the pitch had tipped the balance too much in favor of the bowlers.
Guwahati, on the other hand, told a completely different story.
Resuming on 247 for 6, South Africa kept piling on the runs before being bowled out for an impressive 489 in 151.1 overs. The visitors’ lower order added more than 240 runs after the sixth wicket fell, completely shifting the momentum away from India. Despite the level playing field, Kuldeep still stood out with figures of 4 for 115, the best return among Indian bowlers.
India then began their reply, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul hitting 9 for no loss at the stumps, but the hosts were still staring at a daunting 480-run deficit.
One session for India
With pressure on the batting unit, Kuldeep underlined the importance of a simple, disciplined approach rather than getting drawn into the bigger picture.
“Now the mood in the dressing room is simple – we have to bat well. The first 5-6 overs will be important tomorrow. Every session matters. We will take it session after session. We are not thinking too much ahead to Day 4 or Day 5. If we bat five sessions, we will be in a good position,” he said.
South Africa’s ability to turn the game around after being six down on the first day left India needing composure and patience more than anything else. On a pitch that is unlikely to change dramatically in the short term, time is ticking and a solid partnership remains the only realistic way back.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
November 23, 2025
