India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has firmly dismissed criticism surrounding the Eden Gardens pitch after his team suffered a disappointing 30-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test match. Despite batters from both sides struggling throughout the game, Gambhir maintained that the surface was exactly what the Indian team had requested.
'Exactly The Pitch We Wanted'
Speaking to media representatives after the match on November 16, 2025, Gambhir was unequivocal in his support for the Kolkata pitch. "This is exactly the pitch we were looking for," the coach stated. "And I feel that the curator was very, very helpful. This is exactly what we wanted and this is exactly what we got."
The match saw India failing to chase down a modest target of 123 runs, with most batsmen from both teams unable to read the wicket properly. The sole exception was South Africa's Temba Bavuma, who scored a gritty half-century that ultimately proved decisive in the match outcome.
No Demons in the Pitch
Gambhir strongly refuted suggestions that the pitch was unplayable, pointing to several players who managed to score runs despite the challenging conditions. "First of all there were no demons in the wicket," he emphasized. "This wasn't an unplayable wicket. Temba Bavuma also made runs, Axar also made runs, Washi also scored."
The Indian coach highlighted an interesting statistic from the match that contradicted the narrative of a turning track. "If you see the stats, majority of wickets were taken by seamers," Gambhir noted, suggesting that the surface required technical proficiency rather than being inherently difficult.
Temperament Over Technique
According to Gambhir, the key to success on such surfaces lies in mental strength and defensive solidity rather than aggressive strokeplay. "This was such a wicket that if you have decent technique, have mental toughness and the most important part is your temperament," he explained.
The coach pointed to players like KL Rahul and Washington Sundar as examples of batsmen who demonstrated the right approach by defending well and scoring runs. "If you grind and bat long enough, you can make runs. If you try to play attacking, it'll be difficult," Gambhir advised.
Despite the loss, Gambhir remained adamant that the 123-run target was achievable. "I still believe, irrespective of how the wicket was, 123 was chaseable," he asserted. "It might not be a wicket that is very, very flamboyant where you can play those big shots but if you are willing to put your head down, this is a wicket where you can score."
The coach's comments come amid growing discussion about pitch preparation in Test cricket, with this match adding fuel to the ongoing debate about what constitutes a fair balance between bat and ball in the longest format of the game.
