India’s once-invincible home Test record has come under scrutiny after the team suffered four defeats in their last six matches on home soil. The latest setback came against South Africa in Kolkata, where conditions at Eden Gardens once again became a major talking point. Several former cricketers, including Harbhajan Singh and Kris Srikkanth, criticised the surface for its excessive turn and unpredictable bounce, suggesting India may have hurt their own chances by preparing such a pitch.
However, senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar disagreed with the backlash. He pointed out that similar turning tracks had been used in the past without complaint—simply because India used to win on them. According to him, defeats are part of the sport and the pitch should not be blamed every time things go wrong. He noted that India had not suddenly started playing on spin-friendly surfaces; the only difference now is the result.
Bhuvneshwar also addressed criticism regarding India’s decision to go with four specialist spinners in the first Test. He backed the team management, insisting the conditions fully justified the selection. With the wicket designed to assist spin heavily, he believes the combination was appropriate for the match situation.
Bhuvneshwar on Pitch Criticism and Team Selection
Bhuvneshwar firmly defended the Eden Gardens pitch, stating that conversations about pitch quality weren’t raised when India was winning consistently at home. In his view, turning tracks have always been part of India’s strategy and should not be singled out now.
He also supported India’s choice to include four spinners in the playing XI. Given how the pitch behaved, he felt the team made the right call, adding that they had several strong spin options and the track was always expected to favour them.
Shubman Gill’s Fitness & Workload Concerns
A major concern ahead of the second Test in Guwahati is the availability of captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck injury on day two of the first Test and did not return to the field. Some observers have linked his injury to workload pressure, but Bhuvneshwar rejected those claims.
He stressed that Gill, now an experienced senior player and part of the team’s decision-making group, would not hesitate to speak up if he felt overworked or in need of rest. According to Bhuvneshwar, Gill is mentally and physically capable of managing his own workload and will communicate it clearly if necessary.
