IND vs SA: Harbhajan Singh delivers scathing remark after hosts lose Kolkata Test
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has declared the death of Test cricket after the completion of the first India vs South Africa Test. The hosts prepared a rank turner at the iconic Eden Gardens to welcome the Proteas for the two-match Test series. The Kolkata Test ended on Day 3 as India, missing their skipper Shubman Gill due to injury, failed to chase 124 runs in the second innings. The 30-run victory in the IND vs SA opener marked the visitors’ first Test win in India since 2010.
"RIP Test Cricket!": Harbhajan Singh loses his cool after India’s 30-run defeat in the IND vs SA opener
The proceedings of the Kolkata Test have brought unrestrained scrutiny for the hosts, especially head coach Gautam Gambhir. The pitch prepared at Eden Gardens for the series opener has been unanimously condemned by the fraternity and fans alike. Day 2 of the IND vs SA Test saw 15 wickets fall, raising concerns about the standard of conditions offered for the red-ball contest. Meanwhile, reflecting on his team's 30-run defeat at home, Gambhir said there were "no demons" on the surface and that regardless of the conditions, his batters should have been able to chase 124.
However, Gautam Gambhir appears to be the only individual who has taken the pitch out of the equation. Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh delivered a fierce critique of the team management following the horror show in the Kolkata Test. The 'Turbanator' took particular aim at the decision to prepare rank turners, arguing that such pitches are harming the long-term health of Test cricket.
"They have completely destroyed Test cricket. RIP to Test cricket, rest in peace Test cricket. The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets, so everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is the wrong way of playing," Harbhajan said.
The defeat in the IND vs SA Test marked India’s fourth loss at home under Gautam Gambhir’s watch. With the foundation of their home dominance crumbling swiftly, Harbhajan laid bare the issues with the surfaces being prepared in the subcontinent. The former off-spinner opined that the problem has existed for years but previous victories had overshadowed the flaws. Now that India have started losing at home, the matter has come to the fore and needs immediate rectification.
"You are not moving forward in any way, you are just going around in circles like an ox tied to a mill. You are winning, but there is no real benefit. As a cricketer, you are not growing. So I feel it is high time to see and reflect on this, that playing matches on such pitches where your batsmen are not even sure how to score runs, and you are making them look like they do not know how to bat. Then what difference remains between a capable bowler and a capable batsman if the conditions become so favourable that people are getting out because of the pitch and not because of skill," the former spinner remarked further.
Tasked with a chase of just 124, India folded for 93 on Day 3 of the Kolkata Test, with Washington Sundar being the only batter to cross the 30-run mark. The hosts crumbled against sustained pressure from South Africa as Simon Harmer starred with an eight-wicket haul across the two innings. The nature of the surface instantly drew attention after 15 wickets tumbled on Day 2, reigniting discussions around India’s recurring strategy of producing heavily spin-friendly tracks.
In the subcontinent, pitch conditions often dominate the narrative whenever a Test concludes within three or four days. Kolkata Test was no different, wrapping up in merely two sessions on Day 3 and drawing fresh criticism of India’s approach. Despite the backlash, head coach Gautam Gambhir insisted the pitch played as expected and reaffirmed that it matched the type of surface India had requested for the series.
