"Ganguly had to oblige as Gambhir asked for it" - Former India cricketer slams team management after loss in IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif slammed the team management after their embarrassing defeat against South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The hosts suffered a 30-run loss as the game wrapped up in under three days.

The management has been severely criticised for having prepared a poor pitch where batters from both teams struggled throughout the contest. Notably, India head coach Gautam Gambhir said at the post-match press conference that this was exactly the kind of wicket they had asked for. Kaif reckoned that Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly had no option but to oblige to Gambhir's request.

He expressed that Ganguly would never have wanted the team to play on such a surface. Kaif also reflected that Ganguly would hopefully not repeat this mistake until he is around.

"Ganguly did not want such a pitch either. Since he has become the boss at CAB, he told there will be sporting wickets. I don't think he would have wanted this but he was told to do this. He agreed only because Ganguly had to oblige as Gambhir asked for it. But he would not be happy from within as Eden Gardens is a historic venue. I think that in future you will never get such a pitch there till Ganguly is there. He made the mistake once but it will not happen again," he said on his YouTube channel.

Mohammad Kaif criticised the Indian management for thinking that they would beat South Africa by preparing a turning track. He stated that the team did not have a realisation of their own strength and tried to trap the opposition, which cost them.

"You do not have the realisation of your own strength, what is your strength. You think it is South Africa, you will make a turning track, play four spinners and win the match easily. They have played in Pakistan and come, they have won the WTC and come. They know how to adjust to conditions. They came in with better practice than our players. All of them play in the IPL also and have an idea," he added.

The former cricketer believed that India should have chased down 124 runs in the final innings. He further lashed out at the management, stating that there was no need to play on pitches where the batters could not find any rhythm.

"123 should have been chased. Why is it not happening? We do not play on such pitches so we must not give such pitches at all. There is no rhythm, no idea about how to defend on these tracks. We are playing white-ball and hitting sixes and getting ready."

The hosts were skittled out for just 93 runs in 35 overs. Washington Sundar (31) and Axar Patel (26) showed some fight while the rest of the batters failed to stay out in the middle for long.

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There will not be a sporting wicket in Guwahati, believes former Indian batter

The second Test of the series will begin on November 22 and will be played in Guwahati. Mohammad Kaif believed that there were no possibilities of expecting a sporting pitch at this venue either.

While the BCCI majorly decides venues for a home series, Kaif hailed former captain Rohit Sharma for his planning and having a say in the selection of venues against visiting teams.

"There cannot be a sporting wicket in Guwahati. That pitch has bounce which is even lower than this. Rohit Sharma was one captain who was involved in selecting venues as well based on which team would be touring. He would have his say there. He would think where we could do well and he always had that planning. But BCCI takes the call most of the times and there is a rotation policy," he said.

India won ten Tests under Rohit Sharma at home, including series victories against Sri Lanka, Australia, England, and Bangladesh. The only series defeat at home under Rohit came against New Zealand last year, where India suffered due to playing on similar pitches such as that at Eden Gardens against South Africa.

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Edited by Rishab Vm