“No Question Of Sacking Gambhir”: Sourav Ganguly Breaks Silence After Kolkata Defeat

Former India Captain and current CAB President Sourav Ganguly has firmly backed under-fire head coach Gautam Gambhir, stating there is “no question of sacking” him despite India’s shock 30-run defeat to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Ganguly acknowledged the pitch was far from ideal but placed the responsibility squarely on the BCCI’s central curators and the team management’s specific request for a turning track from day one. “Curators from the BCCI come and take over the wicket four days before the Test match. The requests are made, and you keep the requests,” he said, confirming that Gambhir and Captain Shubman Gill had explicitly asked for a surface offering a sharp turn.

Ganguly was candid in his assessment of the Eden Gardens wicket, calling it “not the greatest” and insisting that India’s top-order and middle-order batters “deserve a better cricketing surface.” He pointed out that a full house over three days at the iconic venue merited a more balanced contest. Eden curator Sujan Mukherjee echoed the same sentiment, revealing he had merely followed instructions from the Gambhir-led management. Gambhir himself had defended the pitch post-match, saying he wanted exactly that kind of surface and got it.

Despite the result leaving India 0-1 down and Gambhir’s home Test record under scrutiny—this was India’s third defeat in their last five home Tests—Ganguly urged patience. “Gautam as a coach and Shubman as a captain did exceptionally well in England on good batting pitches, and I firmly believe they can do well in India as well,” he said, referencing India’s recent series triumph across the Channel. The former skipper argued that one poor pitch and one loss do not warrant drastic action against the coaching staff.

Also Read: INDvsAUS T20I: Dube Reveals How Gambhir’s Words Boosted His Bowling Confidence

The controversy has reignited the perennial debate over pitch preparation in Indian Test cricket. While turning tracks have traditionally been India’s fortress, the Eden Gardens surface—which began breaking up from the first session and kept low alarmingly—has drawn criticism for reducing the contest to a lottery rather than a genuine battle of skill. Ganguly’s intervention makes it clear that the call for an underprepared pitch came directly from the team management, shielding local curators while indirectly endorsing Gambhir’s aggressive home strategy—for now.

With the series decider in Guwahati starting November 22 and Shubman Gill’s participation still in doubt due to injury, pressure remains on Gambhir to deliver a result on a surface expected to offer a more even contest. For the moment, however, Ganguly’s public vote of confidence has bought the coach crucial breathing space amid growing calls for accountability.

Also Read: Sanju Samson Deserves to Open — Data Proves India are Limiting a Game-Changer