The debate over the Eden Gardens surface from the opening India vs South Africa Test has taken centre stage in cricket circles. India stumbled while chasing 124 on Day 3, which led many to question whether the pitch selection was a misjudgment. Despite the noise, head coach Gautam Gambhir maintained that the team got exactly the wicket they had requested and insisted it was not unplayable. South Africa’s spinners capitalised on the conditions to seal their first Test victory on Indian soil since 2010. Former cricketers have expressed contrasting views. Harbhajan Singh criticised the choice of surface, but Robin Uthappa came out strongly in defence of Gambhir, saying the coach should not be blamed for the collapse.
Uthappa, speaking during a YouTube live, addressed comments that he was defending Gambhir. “Yaar, coach thodi jaake khel raha hai andar,” he said, pointing out that the coach is not the one out in the middle facing the bowlers. He added that criticism of coaches often ignores the bigger picture and cited how former head coach Rahul Dravid was also unfairly targeted. He said that someone who has scored 20,000 to 30,000 international runs deserves more respect and that the tendency to troll top figures shows how easily anyone can become a target. Uthappa then turned to the subject of pitch preparation. He highlighted a stark contrast between domestic and international cricket. He recalled that neutral curators were once appointed to oversee pitch conditions in domestic competitions and that groundsmen and associations were reprimanded if a game finished within two days. Yet at the international level, even matches ending in two-and-a-half days often pass without similar scrutiny. He noted that Ranji Trophy teams are discouraged from preparing turning tracks, even though progressively turning surfaces on Day 3 and Day 4 help develop batters who can cope with spin. According to Uthappa, India’s reluctance to prepare such pitches has contributed to players struggling in conditions that demand high-level spin play.
