India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has rejected claims that the Eden Gardens pitch was to blame for their recent 30-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test. Gambhir asserted that the curator provided a surface that met the team’s exact specifications and contained ‘no demons.’ Despite the challenging conditions, which saw India bundled out for just 93 in their fourth innings, Gambhir believes the pitch was designed to test mental toughness. He highlighted that players with good defense were able to score runs, emphasizing that the conditions were exactly what the team requested. The team’s batting collapse, their third-lowest fourth-innings score in Test history, occurred partly due to Shubman Gill’s unavailability following a hospitalization for a neck injury. South Africa’s Simon Harmer proved instrumental, claiming eight wickets and leading his team to their first Test victory in India in 15 years. Gambhir reiterated that the pitch, while demanding, was chaseable, stating that patience and a solid defense were key to navigating the conditions.
