The head coach of India, Gautam Gambhir, insisted that the target of 124 runs against South Africa in the first Test was within the reach of the team, but they could not score at the right time, so the team lost the match. India, the host country, faced a humiliating defeat of 30 runs, as they failed to chase the moderate total on Day 3. This defeat cost India a chance to be in the lead in the two-match series with a score of 1-0 and put the entire coaching staff under heavy scrutiny.
The Indian batting order was dominated by South Africa’s well-disciplined bowling attack, and the main impact came from Simon Harmer, who took four wickets for 30 runs, and Marco Jansen, who picked three wickets for 35 runs. The very tricky Eden Gardens pitch was one of the causes for the sudden collapse of Indian batting; the wicket had become more and more difficult to bat on as the match went on.
Gambhir is now receiving heavy criticism from the public and commentators alike due to the team’s poor performance. Eden Gardens had been the center of contention since Day 2 of the match, when 15 wickets fell in the course of just one day. This loss has raised serious doubts about India’s readiness and skill in hard conditions.
“It was not an unplayable wicket”- Gautam Gambhir
“It was not an unplayable wicket. This (pitch) is exactly what we asked for and this is what we got, the curator (Sujan Mukherjee) here was very supportive. I think it’s a wicket that can judge your mental toughness, as those who played with good defense scored runs,” said Gambhir in the post-match press conference.
“I thought the curator was very supportive, and I still believe that irrespective of how the wicket played, 123 was chaseable. If you are willing to put your head down, have a solid defense, and have the temperament, you can definitely score runs,” said Gambhir.
“It may not be a wicket where you can be flamboyant or play big shots, but if you are patient, you can score. This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. As I said before, the curator was very helpful. This is exactly what we wanted, and when you don’t play well, this is what happens,” Gambhir added.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
