The first Test played between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata has turned into controversy, with the game heading towards an early end and the pitch once again in question. Whereas former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly put the entire blame on Gautam Gambhir.
Fans and cricket experts were shocked as none of the four innings even reached 200 runs, raising serious questions over how the surface was prepared for such a high-profile series. The Eden Gardens pitch has developed an image in recent years for its green cover and pace-friendly bounce.
Pitch controversy erupts as Sourav Ganguly highlights role of Indian team management
But the surface suddenly started behaving like an old-school turning track for the ongoing first Test between India and South Africa. From day one, the ball was catching, staying low, bouncing unevenly and giving batsmen nightmares.
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Even though Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets on the first day, the spinners soon became dominant as the pitch continued to break at an astonishing pace.
With the match expected to end within three days, Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee faced heavy criticism, with many accusing him of preparing a surface that looked impossible to bat on from the very first session.
Sourav Ganguly blames Gautam Gambhir for the plight of the pitch
However, the controversy took a dramatic turn when Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly made a big revelation. The former Indian captain has defended pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee and revealed that the surface was prepared exactly the way Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill had requested.
Ganguly openly blamed the Gambhir-Gill duo for the disaster. Surprisingly, Sourav Ganguly also revealed that the pitch was not watered for four days before the start of the Test, making it drier and more conducive to spin. As a result, the surface behaved as the Indian team management wanted, breaking up early and providing maximum assistance to the bowlers.
News18 Bangla quoted Sourav Ganguly as saying, “The pitch is what the Indian camp wanted. This is what happens when you don’t water the pitch for four days. Curator Sujan Mukherjee can’t be blamed.”
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Indian camp shocked, experts divided on Eden Gardens pitch
Earlier, former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik had said that the pitch was not watered the night before the Test and this had left the surface too dry. Karthik commented, “The pitch was not watered the night before the match. That’s why it broke up so quickly.”
Meanwhile, former South African fast bowler Vernon Philander insisted that instead of criticizing the pitch, the focus should be on how players handle difficult conditions. Philander said on air, “Talk about the players, not the pitch. Test cricket is about adapting.”
On the other hand, South Africa’s batting coach Ashwell Prince admitted that the surface has become extremely unreliable. “You can’t commit to a shot when the ball shoots up or stays down randomly,” Prince added.
Even India were confused, as bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted that his team did not expect the pitch to break up so quickly. After the dramatic fall of 15 wickets on the second day, Morkel admitted that the scale of the fall was beyond his imagination.
