Pujara Questions Eden Gardens Pitch: “Indian Batting Line-up Was Underprepared Against Spin”
Pujara disagrees with Gambhir, says Eden Gardens pitch challenged India’s batters.
Following India’s surprising 30-run loss to South Africa at Eden Gardens, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has openly disagreed with head coach Gautam Gambhir’s assessment of the pitch. While Gambhir called the surface perfectly suited to India’s plans, Pujara claimed the conditions were far more difficult and that the team’s batters looked “underprepared” to handle spin-friendly tracks. India, chasing 124 runs in the fourth innings, collapsed against South Africa’s spin attack, giving the visitors their first Test victory in India since 2010.
After the match, Gambhir defended the pitch, saying it delivered exactly what the team had asked for. “This is exactly the pitch we wanted,” he said, praising the curator for preparing the surface. “When you don’t play well, this is what happens.” However, Pujara, speaking on JioStar, contested that assessment. “I disagree with Gauti bhai that the pitch didn’t contribute to India’s batting struggles. This surface was clearly tough to bat on — no one except Temba Bavuma even managed to cross fifty,” he said.
Pujara, widely regarded for his technique and temperament, pointed out that the Indian side seemed ill-prepared for these conditions. “On turning tracks, batters need to change their approach — use more sweeps and play with positive intent. Since India often prefers spin-friendly pitches, our batters must prepare for them instead of expecting flat, batting-friendly surfaces,” he suggested. The 37-year-old added that while some dismissals came from poor shot selection, the pitch’s sharp turn and variable bounce gave bowlers a huge advantage.
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He also praised South African captain Temba Bavuma’s controlled innings, calling it an example of how adaptability matters more than defensive endurance on challenging surfaces. “Bavuma showed that you can score, but only by playing differently — using sweeps and taking calculated risks,” Pujara observed. He warned that traditional Test-match batting, which relies on patience and defense, no longer works on such extreme spinning tracks.
Recent statistics appear to support Pujara’s concerns. Indian batters averaged over 53 runs against spinners at home between 2016 and 2019, but that number has plummeted to 33.8 since 2020 — a worrying trend for a team known for playing spin well. With South Africa leading 1-0 in the two-match series, the focus now shifts to the second Test at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium on November 22, where India must regroup and adapt to keep their home record intact.
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