Indian international Yashasvi Jaiswal was bowled by South African Marco Jansen (ANI Photo) Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh came down hard on the Eden Gardens surface used for the first Test between India and South Africa, calling the pitch unsuitable for the longest format after 26 wickets fell in the first two days. South Africa were bundled out for 153 on the third morning, leaving India with a target of just 123 on a surface that was seriously crumbling. The chase got off to a poor start with Yashasvi Jaiswal dismissed for a duck while skipper Shubman Gill was unavailable due to a neck injury.
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Harbhajan, who took 13 wickets at the venue during India’s iconic Test triumph in 2001, said such conditions were damaging the future of Test cricket. “Only two days are done and we can see the direction the game is going,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. “They have done RIP to Test cricket. I don’t think Test cricket has any value anymore. India played exceptionally well in England recently, everyone praised them. The pitches they played on and how India fought to win – that’s Test cricket, that’s fun.” The former spinner insisted that even batting greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli would behave erratically on the field. So far, Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten 55 in the third innings was the only score above 40 in the match. “This pitch is such that you throw the ball here and it spins and goes the other way. Batters hardly know what to do. Even the likes of Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar cannot survive on such pitches because one ball will stay low, plus it will bounce or turn sharply to get your wicket. So technique does not come into play, only the pitch,” he said. Harbhajan added that these problems are not new but have reached an unacceptable level. “It’s been going on for years. When I talk about it, people tell me why are you talking about them. I don’t think we’ve seen such unprepared conditions. It’s not going in the right direction. It’s pathetic, absolute nonsense to see. They’re making fun of the game,” he fumed.
