TL;DR
- Gautam Gambhir supports India's strategy and pitch type after loss to South Africa.
- Gambhir believes the Eden Gardens pitch was exactly what India wanted.
- India likely to request another spin-friendly wicket for the Guwahati Test.
- Altering strategy after one defeat would signal a lack of confidence.
Following India's loss to South Africa in the inaugural Test at Eden Gardens, considerable discussion arose regarding the pitch after the game concluded on the third day.
With the teams en route to Guwahati for the second Test, the primary concern is whether India will alter their strategy or request a comparable pitch, a type of surface Gautam Gambhir vociferously backed in Kolkata?
Given the short interval between the upcoming games, attention is now focused on the next pitch India will use, particularly following their first Test defeat against South Africa in a decade and a half.
Even though they lost, Gambhir made it very clear felt the playing field wasn't the issue. He stated it was precisely the type of ground India desired. This naturally leads to the query: will India maintain its current strategy?
Will India create another spin-friendly wicket in Guwahati for the second Test match?
Considering Gambhir's firm remarks in Kolkata, the response is likely affirmative. He explicitly stated that the Eden Gardens pitch matched India's specifications. Given this assurance, it's improbable that India will alter their strategy for Guwahati.
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Gambhir believed the strategy was sound. India had South Africa in a precarious position at 93/7 and held a significant advantage until the Bavuma-Bosch partnership helped the visiting team regain momentum.
Altering the entire strategy following just one defeat would convey a negative impression. It would appear as a hasty reaction, and no team aiming for a series victory wishes to seem uncertain about its established tactics.
Should India opt for a flat pitch in Guwahati, it would suggest a lack of confidence in their strategy at Eden Gardens.
Gambhir has already indicated that the challenging, turning pitch was deliberate. Therefore, the sensible next step is to support that strategy once more and have confidence in the team's improved execution.
India and South Africa's second Test match is scheduled for November 22-26. India aims to recover and even the series, whereas South Africa seeks to achieve a historic first Test series victory in India in a quarter-century.