Kolkata, 16 Nov

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended the Eden Gardens curator after South Africa stunned India by 30 runs in the opening Test, successfully defending a modest target of 124. India were bowled out for 93 in the second innings, continuing a troubling run of home defeats — four in their last six matches, and nine of 18 under Gambhir.

Gambhir insisted the pitch was fair and dismissed criticism of curator Sujan Mukherjee, saying the surface rewarded solid technique and temperament rather than flamboyant stroke play.

“It wasn’t an unplayable wicket, there were no demons,” he said. “If you put your head down and show temperament, you can score runs.”

Across the match, 38 wickets fell in eight sessions — 16 to seam and 22 to spin. Gambhir argued this showed the surface wasn’t excessively spin-friendly. Instead, he pointed to India’s inability to absorb pressure, contrasting them with batters like KL Rahul, Temba Bavuma and Washington Sundar, who applied themselves well.

He also backed the pitch preparation, noting the team had specifically asked for these conditions. “This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. When you don’t play well, this is what happens,” he said.

Trailing 0-1, India now faces a must-win situation in Guwahati. South Africa, defending World Test Champions, are aiming for only their second Test series victory in India and their first since 2000.

Gambhir rejected the idea that India’s youngsters lacked skill, but repeatedly hinted at a shortage of match awareness. He said the team believed small partnerships would have been enough to turn the game, citing stands involving Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja.

He refused to single out the batting unit for blame. “You win as a team, you lose as a team. The batters gave everything they had, but we must keep getting better on harder wickets,” he said.

One major talking point was Rishabh Pant’s decision not to give Jasprit Bumrah the more dangerous Club House End on the third morning. Gambhir dismissed the criticism, stating that there is “no hindsight in Test cricket” and that tactics were “spot on”.

Of India’s seven Test wins under Gambhir, four have come against Bangladesh and the West Indies. Asked about this, he urged against comparisons with past eras, stressing that the current line-up lacks experience and needs to develop the mental resilience required for Test cricket.

“In Test cricket, if you cannot absorb pressure, the wicket doesn’t matter,” he said. “Once you survive the first 10–15 minutes, things get easier.”

On Shubman Gill’s availability for the second Test, he said the batter was still being assessed and the physio would decide.