"Can our players play on turning tracks?" - Former India cricketer blasts Gautam Gambhir after loss in IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Former batter Mohammad Kaif has questioned Team India’s batting credentials against spin after they failed to chase down 124 against South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The cricketer-turned-analyst said that head coach Gautam Gambhir wants to play against South Africa on spin tracks, but we lack quality batters to play on rank turners.

The statement came after Proteas off-spinner Simon Harmer spun a web for Indian batters in the two innings, returning with a four-fer in each innings. Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj picked up three wickets in total. Additionally, part-time spinner Aiden Markram bowled just one over and took the wicket of well-set Washington Sundar (31 off 92) in the second innings, off his eighth delivery.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said:

“In Gautam Gambhir’s era, he thinks that when teams like South Africa or England come, we would play on turning tracks. The problem is that you can make turning tracks, but can our players play on turning tracks? No, they don’t. They have forgotten.”

Kaif's response came after Gambhir claimed that he wanted a rank turner, saying the Men in Blue should've chased down 124. The 44-year-old said in the post-match press conference:

"The point is that you should be able to know how to play turn. This is exactly what we asked for, and this is what we got. I thought the curator was very supportive, and I still believe, irrespective of how the wicket was, 123 was chaseable."

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“We don’t want to start with a spin track from the second day” – Mohammad Kaif wants Gautam Gambhir to follow the former India coach’s footsteps

Mohammad Kaif further pointed out how former India coach Rahul Dravid and ex-skipper Rohit Sharma ensured that India played on good pitches that would aid batting for at least the first two days. While citing the example of India’s 4-1 win against England at home, the 44-year-old added that Dravid trusted our bowlers Kuldeep Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja to pick up wickets on their own merits. He also stressed that Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed two double centuries during that series.

Kaif said in the same video:

“When Rahul Dravid came as a coach. Against England, we won the home series 4-1. At that time, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid had planned that we wanted to turn because we have Ashwin, Kuldeep, and Jadeja. So, we need a spin track, but we don’t want to start with a spin track from the second day."

He continued:

"In that series, Jaiswal hit two double centuries. All the matches were finishing in the last session of Day 4. Matches were lasting long, India scored 500, opponents would make 250, then again, we would score 300, and the visitors would get all out for 150.” “It was the right way of playing Test cricket because Dravid knew that we have Kuldeep, Bumrah, Jadeja, Ashwin, who are not reliant on the pitch, compared to overseas players who need assistance from the pitch,” Kaif added.

Notably, the Men in Blue have lost four Tests at home since Gambhir took over as India’s head coach, including a 0-3 whitewash by New Zealand last year.

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Edited by James Kuanal