 "The strategy of using dry pitches in Tests and India’s team combinations under coach Gautam Gambhir has been criticised by former players. Images: Reuters/PBKS")
Former Indian cricketers and Michael Vaughan tore into Team India’s planning and head coach Gautam Gambhir’s decisions regarding pitches and tactics as Shubman Gill and Co suffered a stunning 30-run defeat to world champions South Africa at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Despite South Africa being the latest World Test Championship winner, India were expected to emerge victorious in the contest, with the Proteas not winning a Test in India since 2010. However, it all went for a toss as the dry pitch in Kolkata resulted in an unpredictable pitch that offered uneven bounce, excessive seam movement and turn.
The match lasted just three days and chasing 124 in the final innings, India were condemned to a chastening defeat by journeyman Simon Harmer as the off-spinner took four wickets.
Coach Gambhir was furious with the Indian batters in the post-match press conference as he defended the pitch at Eden Gardens .
“This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. I feel the curator was very helpful, and this is exactly what we wanted and exactly what we got. When you don’t play well, this is what happens,” he said.
Vuaghan, Jaffer slam Gambhir, Team India
But experts, including Vaughan, former India opener Wasim Jaffer and ex-India pacer Venkatesh Prasad, refused to take a myopic view like Gambhir, questioning the pitch and team’s tactics.
Vaughan, who earned a reputation for having a candid view on all things Indian cricket, said that India did not deserve anything less than a defeat after dishing out a dry pitch against the world champions.
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View AllPrepare a pitch like that and you deserve to lose against the World Test champs …. brilliant win by SA,” Vaughan wrote on X.
Former India cricketer Jaffer felt that Gambhir’s team self-destructed in Kolkata by asking for a dry pitch that turned out to be a lottery. He added that such pitches reduce the gap between the Indian and overseas spinners and work against the hosts.
“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,” Jaffer wrote on X.
Former Indian fast bowler Prasad went a step further as he questioned the utility player strategy of India under Gambhir in Test matches. He felt that the Team Indian management is currently struggling with a lack of clarity.
“While we have been excellent in white- ball cricket. We can’t call ourselves a top Test side with such planning,” Prasad said on X. “Selections without clarity and over-tactical thinking are backfiring. Poor results over a year in tests barring a drawn series in England.”
Under Gambhir, India have increasingly preferred all-rounders over specialist players. The latest shocking move in the Kolkata Test was Washington Sundar batting at No 3 in place of Sai Sudharsan.