"Seamers took the majority of wickets" - Gautam Gambhir's huge statement on Eden Gardens pitch after IND vs SA 2025 1st Test 

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir refused to accept criticism surrounding the Eden Gardens pitch used for the first Test against South Africa. The series opener ended inside three days as it took only 205.2 overs for all 40 wickets to fall across four innings, with the Proteas winning by 30 runs in the end.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was the sole batter across both innings to score a fifty on a surface where bowlers thrived. Off-spinner Simon Harmer was adjudged player of the match for his eight wickets in the contest.

The choice of the pitch by the Indian management has been criticised after the performance, especially since the team struggled on subcontinent wickets last year during the 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand.

Gautam Gambhir stated that the pitch at the Eden Gardens was not unplayable by any means, and was also not a rank turner by any stretch of the imagination. He felt that the fact seamers were responsible for the majority of the wickets is a major indicator of that fact.

"Firstly, there were no demons on this wicket, it was not an unplayable wicket. We saw Temba Bavuma score runs, Axar, and Washi score runs. The point is that if we keep talking about the pitches being turning and all, then it does not work. If you see the wickets, how many of them did seamers take? Seamers took the majority of the wickets. We keep saying that it is a turning wicket, this is happening, that is happening, and all that, but of the 40 wickets, seamers picked the majority," Gambhir said during the post-match press conference (via Jio Hotstar). "If you get out to seamers on a turning track, then I don't think that it was a difficult wicket to play on. It was such a wicket where your technique could be judged, your mental toughness could be challenged, and your temperament. If you look to bat big, then you can score runs here, but if you look to play attacking cricket, then it is difficult. The batters who defended well, like Bavuma, Rahul, or Washi, all of them scored runs. We have played on such pitches before," Gambhir added.

Out of the 38 wickets to fall in the Test, 16 wickets were picked up by the seamers, while the rest 22 were claimed by the spinners. Out of the 16 wickets by the pace bowlers, includes Jasprit Bumrah's five-wicket haul in the first innings.

In the second innings, out of the 19 wickets, spinners bagged an extraordinary majority of 15 scalps.

"He is a world-class batter in this format" - Gautam Gambhir defends Rishabh Pant's performance in IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

The first Test against South Africa marked the return of Rishabh Pant in international cricket after recovering from a fractured foot. However, the flamboyant player could not deliver with the bat, scoring 27 and 2 in the first and second innings, respectively.

He looked far from comfortable in the second innings, after almost being trapped LBW off the first ball while attempting to play a reverse sweep, before perishing to Simon Harmer via a soft dismissal soon after.

"The skipper felt having two left-arm spinners against them on this wicket could be useful. It was the right call. Most of the calls we took today, tactically, I thought were spot on. From Rishabh's point of view, he is a world-class batter in this format, he plays in a certain way, he can take the game away as well, we keep backing him to play this way as well. He is playing after a long time as well, so in the future, he will deliver," Gautam Gambhir said.

Gambhir also provided a crucial update regarding Shubman Gill's status for the second Test of the series in Guwahati after an unfortunate neck injury.

"Let's see, the physios will take a call today evening and we will take a call tomorrow," Gambhir concluded.

The skipper was hospitalised after he was retired out for 4 in the first innings on Day 2. He did not return to the field to lead the side or bat on Day 3, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant taking over the leadership duties in his absence.

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Edited by Gokul Nair