Pujara vs Gambhir: Why India's Batting Collapse Reveals Deeper Issues

South Africa clinched a 30-run win after the hosts failed to chase down the 124-run target in the fourth innings. Simon Harmer was the stand-out bowler for the visitors, picking up eight wickets across the two innings. The Proteas outplayed the Asian Giants and registered their first Test win in India since 2010. Indian batters succumbed to the South African spinners.

After losing the first Test in Kolkata, Gautam Gambhir opened up that the pitch wasn't all that tricky. He added that the Eden Gardens curator helped provide the track that Team India wanted.

"This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. This is exactly the pitch. And I feel that the curator was very, very helpful. And this is exactly what we wanted. And this is exactly what we got. When you don't play well, this is what happens," said Gambhir.

"The point is that you should be able to know how to play turn. And this is what we asked for, and this is what we got. I thought the curator was very supportive," said Gambhir on the pitch at Eden Gardens.

After the first Test was concluded in just three days, many cricket pundits have criticised the Eden Gardens pitch, where most batters struggled against the spinners.

Speaking on JioStar, Pujara stated that Gambhir might want such conditions for the Indian side, but it was very tough to bat on.

"I disagree with Gauti bhai that the pitch didn't contribute to India's batting struggles. He felt the team wanted such conditions, but this surface was clearly tough to bat on, no one except Temba Bavuma managed to cross fifty. Indian batsmen looked underprepared for playing on such turning tracks," JioStar expert Pujara said.

Pujara added that on turning tracks, a batter needs to have different shot selections.

"On turning tracks, you need different shot selection, more sweeps, and positive intent to keep the scoreboard moving. Since India prefers spin-friendly pitches, our batters must prepare according to the demands of these spin-conditions instead of expecting usual batting-friendly surfaces," the former India batter added.

Pujara continued that some wickets fell due to the batting mistakes. The former Indian cricketer hailed South Africa captain Temba Bavuma for showing how to score runs on a pitch which was not easy to bat on.

"Some dismissals were due to batting mistakes, but that still doesn't mean the pitch was easy. Temba Bavuma showed that you can score on this surface, but only by playing differently, using sweeps and showing positive intent instead of relying on traditional defense. This wicket doesn't support the usual Test-match style where you block, grind, and build an innings slowly," Pujara said.

Pujara opined that batters need to bring out sweep shots and lofted shots and take calculated risks when the pitch is assisting spinners.

"To do well here, batters have to play in an aggressive manner, use sweeps and lofted shots, and take calculated risks. We may not prefer these kinds of pitches in long-term, but the truth is that traditional Test batting becomes almost impossible on surfaces where you constantly need to innovate just to score," the 37-year-old added.

Interestingly, Indian batters averaged 53.3 at home against spinners from 2016-2019. The average of Indian batters fell drastically to 33.8 from 2020, which is a concerning factor about their approach against spin bowlers.

After losing the first Test, the reigning ICC World Test Championship winners will aim for a historic Test series win when they take on India in the second and final fixture.

The second Test between India and South Africa will be held at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, starting from November 22.

- ANI