 "India's Rishabh Pant, wicketkeeper and vice captain inspects the pitch with captain Shubman Gill, left and chef coach Gautam Gambhir, second left, during the practice session ahead of first test match between India and South Africa, in Kolkata, India, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. AP")
Amid the backlash over the pitch prepared at the Eden Gardens, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly said that the curator cannot be blamed for laying out a rank turner as this is what the team management had asked for. India were bowled out for 93 in the second innings and lost the first Test to South Africa by 30 runs .
The strip laid out for the Test match Kolkata has come under fire from fans and former cricketers with the game wrapping up within three days. Former India cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Wasim Jaffer criticised the pitch, but Ganguly said the curator had been told to prepare such a track.
“The pitch is what the Indian camp wanted. This is what happens when you don’t water the pitch for four days. Curator Sujan Mukherjee can’t be blamed,” Ganguly told News18 Bangla.
Gambhir ’exactly’ wanted this
Speaking after the loss, head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that the management had indeed requested for a sharply turning track.
“This is exactly the pitch we were looking for," Gambhir said at the post-match press conference . “I feel the curator was very helpful, and this is exactly what we wanted and exactly what we got.”
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View All“When you don’t play well, this is what happens. There were no demons in this wicket. It was not unplayable,” said the Indian head coach, pinning the blame of defeat on poor on-field performance.
Harmer hammers India
After Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten half-century helped South Africa set a tricky 124-run target for India, off-spinner Simon Harmer ripped through the Indian bowler to help the Proteas earn their first Test win on Indian soil since 2010.
Harmer finished with four-wicket hauls in both the innings and was awarded the Player of the Match trophy.