"I fully agree with Gautam Gambhir" - Sunil Gavaskar defends Team India coach amid pitch discourse after IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Ex-Indian opening batter Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in on the pitch discourse doing rounds following the hosts' shock defeat to South Africa in the opening Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Gavaskar strongly agreed with Gautam Gambhir's comments, claiming that the batters did not bat well and 124 could have been chased on the track.

Gambhir faced backlash for his comments in the press conference following the 30-run defeat in Kolkata. Due to the low-scoring contest and batters of both teams struggling, the pitch came sharply into focus, especially owing to uneven bounce and significant spin. Nevertheless, Gambhir said they demanded these conditions and felt the batters could've applied themselves better.

Speaking to India Today, the 76-year-old Gavaskar claimed India only have themselves to blame for as the batters played reckless shots when they didn't need to. He said:

"Totally agree with Gautam Gambhir. 124 was chaseable on this pitch. There was no question about it. A lot of people are talking about what the pitch was doing, but if you had a look at what Simon Harmer was doing in an over, how many of his deliveries were turning? He was mixing it up really well. He bowled straight and got the odd one to turn. So, it was not a vicious turning pitch. It was a pitch on which you needed to bat as if you were playing a five-day Test, not a 50-over match or a Twenty20 where, after three dot balls, you try to play a break-out-of-jail shot. That’s the issue. One hundred and twenty-four should have been chased with at least five wickets in hand with the kind of batting line-up India had."

Washington Sundar was the only batter to show resistance, facing 92 balls for his 31 runs before Aiden Markram had him nick one to slip. With Shubman Gill also absent from the line-up due to a neck injury, the home side was one specialist batter short.

---

"Bavuma had played an innings of exceptional character" - Sunil Gavaskar

Rishabh Pant was dismissed cheaply in India's second innings. (Credits: Getty)

Gavaskar also opined that India only needed to draw a leaf out of Temba Bavuma's defiant innings of 55, adding:

"The Indian batters had the example of Temba Bavuma. You may forget what happened the previous day, but Bavuma had played an innings of exceptional character just hours earlier. He batted with real temperament, technique, and dedication. That should at least have been at the back of their minds."

India must draw level in the second and final Test in Guwahati to avoid another home series defeat in a little over a year.

Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news

Edited by Sooryanarayanan Sesha