Tension prevailed at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on the eve of the first Test between India and South Africa as captain Shubman Gill and the team management expressed serious concerns over the condition of the pitch.
The iconic Eden Gardens, which is set to host its first Test in six years, has suddenly become the target of the Indian camp just hours before the start of the match, as the pitch is under investigation.
Shubman Gill angry about the pitch before South Africa Test
During the final inspection, Shubman Gill was reportedly angry with the nature of the Eden Gardens wicket and called curator Sujan Mukherjee for a detailed 15-minute discussion.
Shubman Gill expressed concern about the pitch of Eden Gardens, Sourav Ganguly along with curator Sujan Mukherjee visited and inspected the ground.
After inspecting the pitch, the Indian team management was clearly unhappy. Gill called Sujan Mukherjee for a 15-minute talk. pic.twitter.com/q7mhbOndgd
– KKR Caravan (@KkrKaravan) 13 November 2025
That being said, the Kolkata surface looked unusually dry, raising the specter of unpredictable bounce and uneven turns, and something that clearly did not suit the Indian camp.
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Adding to the drama, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) chief Sourav Ganguly made a surprise visit to the stadium and personally inspected the pitch along with curator Sujan Mukherjee. Even Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar arrived later to assess the situation.
Ajit Agarkar inspected the pitch of Eden Gardens
In viral pictures, Agarkar was seen interacting with the pitch curator and Indian support staff at the Eden Gardens, which shows how seriously he is taking the matter. Earlier this week too, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir was also seen engaging in an animated discussion with Mukherjee.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar is here at Eden Gardens. pic.twitter.com/sEZ25p25Yg
– RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) 13 November 2025
The upcoming first Test between India and South Africa will mark the return of red-ball cricket to the Eden Gardens after the memorable pink-ball Test against Bangladesh in 2019. But a lot has changed since then, as a new generation of Indian players have taken over after the retirement of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Curator Sujan Mukherjee prepared a perfectly balanced Eden Gardens wicket for the India vs South Africa Test
Meanwhile, Kolkata’s surface is expected to remain true to its tradition and be given a bit of green to help the fast bowlers before gradually helping the spinners as the game progresses.
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Reports suggest that a thin layer of grass has been left on the pitch to ensure consistent bounce and carry, making it an exciting encounter between bat and ball. Curator Sujan Mukherjee has carefully prepared the wicket, aiming to strike the right balance keeping in mind India’s strengths.
Although a twist is expected on the surface, it won’t be overly intriguing or unexpected. Mukherjee has also indicated that he has tried to prepare the wicket in a way that gives the home team a slight advantage, thereby ensuring that India get the kind of support they need without compromising the overall quality of the surface.
“The pitch will be good. It will be a good playing wicket. As the days progress, there will be turn. There will be bounce. But there is something for everyone on this pitch – batsmen, bowlers – everyone. The interaction with the team was like every home team. Look, if you go to Australia, there will be bounce. Similarly, Indian teams ask for a little bit of turn. Not much, but they ask for a little bit of turn,” RevSportz quoted the pitch curator as saying.
