Head coach Gautam Gambhir has pinpointed a critical gap in India’s game: not skill, but mental resilience. After the 30-run defeat to South Africa in Kolkata, he stressed that handling pressure in tough Test sessions is what his young batting unit desperately needs to develop.
Despite India’s shocking 30-run defeat to South Africa in the first Test—a loss that ended their 15-year home winning streak against the Proteas—head coach Gautam Gambhir doubled down, declaring, “This is what we wanted,” in defense of the controversial pitch.
India’s dramatic collapse for just 93 while chasing 124 against South Africa at Eden Gardens has landed them on an unwanted record list—and marked the Proteas’ first Test win on Indian soil in 15 years.
India’s batting unit imploded in the absence of injured captain Shubman Gill, collapsing to 93 all out while chasing just 124. Simon Harmer’s 8-wicket haul powered South Africa to a dramatic 30-run win in the first Test.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has stirred fresh debate by confirming the Eden Gardens pitch for the India vs South Africa Test was deliberately curated to suit the home side’s tactics—exactly what Gautam Gambhir’s team had wanted.
A former India spinner has launched a scathing attack on the Eden Gardens pitch, calling it “pathetic” and “utter nonsense” for producing a 26-wicket collapse in two days—arguing it undermines the essence of Test cricket.