Pujara responds to Gambhir's wild justification of India's obsession with rank turners at home: 'Luck plays a major part'

South Africa shocked India at Eden Gardens by winning the first Test by 30 runs, their first red-ball victory on Indian soil in 15 years. The visitors were bowled out for only 159 after electing to bat first on Day 1, and India even had a 30-run lead at one stage. But the match turned completely on Day 3 when India came out to chase just 124 in the final innings and collapsed again on a difficult turning surface.

South Africa’s spinners, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, bowled beautifully and took advantage of the rank turner to bowl India out for just 93 runs. This defeat has now raised big questions because India have lost four of their last six home Tests, and most of these losses have come on turning pitches that they themselves prepared.

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India head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the decision to ask for a rank-turning wicket in Kolkata, even though New Zealand had handed India a historic whitewash late last year by winning their first-ever Test series in the country 3-0. He praised the Eden Gardens curator and said the team got exactly the pitch they wanted. But he overlooked the fact that the same spin trap had once again worked against his own players.

“This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. I feel the curator was very helpful, and this is exactly what we wanted. When you don’t play well, this is what happens,” Gambhir said at the post-match press conference on Sunday.

Pujara reacts to pitch debate

But former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara does not fully agree with Gambhir’s view. He said India’s obsession with rank turners has been hurting them more than helping. Many fans and experts also think the same, arguing that India already have strong bowlers who can perform well in any conditions, so they don’t need specially prepared pitches to win.

“Luck plays a major part when you are playing on a rank turner. What India needs to do is start playing on a slightly better pitch. I’m not saying that you don’t play on a turning track. You always did that, support for the bowlers that they are getting some assistance from the pitch. But it has to be a pitch where you should be able, if you are playing well, if you’re working hard, if you are reacting well, you should be able to score 100,” Pujara said.

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Pujara explained that since 2020 India have played around 70-80 percent of their home games on pitches where the match finishes inside three days, which is not ideal. “When you start playing on rank turners, which India has done since 2020, a majority of the games, I would say 70 or 80% of the games have been played on a pitch where the result has been in three days, within the three days of five day match,” he said.

“It’s important that India plays on a pitch where the results are on Day Four, Day Five, which is slightly better pitch to bat on in the first innings. And as you get into the second innings, the ball starts turning a bit more, it becomes very challenging,” Pujara added.

He said the first innings score must not be too low. “If there is a low score in the second innings, I don’t mind, but the first innings score should be on the slightly higher side, even if it’s something close to 300, 350, that is still acceptable. But if 200 or 150 is a very good total, then I think that’s the pitch where you don’t normally (do well.),” he concluded.