Gautam Gambhir did not fault the pitch for India’s batting collapse during their failed chase of 124, which ended in a disappointing loss to South Africa despite conditions that were expected to favour the hosts at Eden Gardens.
The spin-heavy surface prepared for the first Test in Kolkata has faced sharp criticism, with Harbhajan Singh even calling it “pathetic.”
Gautam Gambhir maintained after the match that the pitch had “no demons” and aligned with what the team had requested.
However, South African pace great Dale Steyn pushed back against Gambhir’s stance, pointing out that the pitch grew increasingly unpredictable as the match wrapped up in under three days, culminating in India’s 30-run defeat.
"He (Gambhir) said there weren’t demons in the pitch? I certainly saw quite a lot," Steyn said on JioHotstar after the match. “You know, as Anil (Kumble) was saying, some balls are spinning two feet past the bat, hitting the keeper on the shoulder. The next one is skidding through, hitting the pad, and you’re out. That’s pretty tough to bat on."
“When batters don’t have the option to score runs, the application of defence becomes the biggest key. That itself means batting is really difficult," he added.
The Eden Gardens pitch faced scrutiny right from Day 1, with its inconsistent bounce challenging nearly every batter except Bavuma. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh blasted the surface as “pathetic, utter nonsense,” while former England captain Michael Vaughan called it “awful.”
Despite the criticism, Gambhir stated in the post-match press conference that this was exactly the type of pitch the team management had requested, and he placed responsibility on the home side for not being able to “absorb the pressure.”
"It was not an unplayable wicket. The point is that you should be able to know how to play turn. And this is what we asked for, and this is what we got. I thought the curator was very supportive," Gambhir said.
"We ask for the pitch to aid spinners from day one so that toss doesn't become crucial. Had we won the Test you wouldn't be asking or discussing so much about pitch. We've got the guys to deliver in any condition," he added.
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