Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav offered a blunt and humorous take on the surface used for the second India–South Africa Test at the Barsapara Stadium, describing the pitch as unusually dead. Comparing it with the challenging track in Kolkata, he remarked, “Kolkata ka wicket toh alag thaa. Yeh to pura road tha”, highlighting how flat and batter-friendly the Guwahati strip was.
The lack of assistance allowed South Africa’s lower-order to lift their first-innings total to 489, even as Kuldeep finished as India’s standout bowler with figures of 4 for 115 in 29.1 overs. With Barsapara hosting its first-ever Test and being the home venue of BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, the assessment drew even more attention, though Kuldeep stayed focused on the broader challenges of Test cricket.
Battling Conditions And Maintaining Composure
Despite his clear dissatisfaction with the surface, Kuldeep Yadav stressed the importance of resilience in unfavourable bowling conditions. He said that in Test cricket, adaptation matters more than domination, pointing out that bowlers need to stay mentally strong when pitches offer little assistance. According to him, both pacers and spinners struggled equally on this deck, but the key was to accept the situation and move on.
He reminded that conditions vary from match to match and emphasised not overthinking pitch behaviour, stating that the next Test might present a better wicket. Reflecting on his experience, Kuldeep noted that there was only some help early on the opening day due to underlying moisture, after which the pitch turned into an excellent batting surface. He mentioned that he and Ravindra Jadeja discussed how little turn was available, underlining the shared frustration among the bowlers.
Partnerships, Bowling Rotations, And Tactical Balance
Kuldeep praised India’s disciplined bowling in the first session when South Africa managed just 69 runs, but admitted that once the visitors kept wickets in hand, they capitalised effectively. He acknowledged Marco Jansen’s counterattacking approach and explained that long partnerships on a flat wicket often swing momentum heavily in favour of the batting side.
When asked why he bowled only 12 overs on the second day, Kuldeep humorously replied, “I mean, for that I have to be the captain.” However, he clarified that he was completely satisfied with his workload, noting that India had several bowling options and rotation was essential. With “I bowled 30 overs and 30 overs is good for any wrist spinner”, he concluded that he had no complaints about the management of his overs, reinforcing his team-first mindset despite the harsh conditions.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.