 "'Use feet, play sweep': Former spin maestro decodes where Indian batters failed in shocking South Africa defeat")
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has suggested Indian batters to be more positive while playing spin after the hosts were handed an embarrassing 30-run defeat by South Africa in the first Test of the series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
Chasing 124, India were bowled out for a mere 93 in the second innings as the visitors won a Test match on Indian soil for the first time in almost 16 years. The poor outing once again underlined the inability of Indian batters to handle spin on turning tracks after the same problem had condemned the team to a historic 0-3 whitewash by New Zealand.
India vs South Africa: Pujara wants positive approach
“Indian batters will have to find a way to score runs on such pitches. The batting coach will also have to speak to the batters,” said Pujara who retired earlier this year.
Pujara, known for his exemplary batting skills against spin, told the batters to be positive in their approach.
“They need to use their feet, play the sweep shot, and play a little more positively on such pitches. You need to put the bowler under pressure, and that is something the Indian batters failed to do in this particular Test match,” Pujara said.
India vs South Africa: Kumble rues Gill miss
Legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble believed that the injury to Gill made things tough for India.
“I thought India should have certainly scored more,” said the former India coach. “But the handicap of the skipper not being able to bat in both innings certainly hampered India. With one batter short on a wicket that was aiding the bowlers, it was never going to be easy.”
Gill could play just three balls on the second day of the Test before retiring due to an injury. The Indian captain played no further part in the game.
India vs South Africa: Jaffer says no lessons learnt from NZ loss
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer took to X expressing disappointment with the pitch used in Kolkata Test. He said India need to prepare balanced pitches because that is where the supremacy of Indian spinners comes to the fore.
Looks like we haven’t learned our lesson from NZ series loss. The gap between our spinners and opposition spinners reduces on pitches like this. We need to go back to classic Indian pitches, like the ones in 2016-17 season when Virat was captain and Eng and NZ toured. #INDvSA
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) November 16, 2025
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View AllHead coach Gautam Gambhir, however, said after the match that the pitch was “exactly” how the team wanted it.
India have now lost four out of last six Tests at home while South Africa have won 10 out of their last 11 Tests under the captaincy of Temba Bavuma.
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