Kolkata Test Ends in Three Days; Former Spinner Calls Match ‘Complete Nonsense’

The first of the two-match Test series was between South Africa and India, held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In this match, South Africa defeated India by 30 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the series. The Indian Lions were defeated by the spin of South African spinner Simon Harmer. This has once again exposed the incompetence of Indian batsmen against spin, and the ending of the Test match within three days raised questions about the Eden Gardens pitch. Now, former Indian spinner Harbhajan has expressed his displeasure over the Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata.

Harbhajan Singh said on his YouTube channel, "It was a battle of luck rather than skill on the Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata." Even batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli would have been unable to bat on this pitch. The Eden Gardens pitch was a joke for Test cricket.

Harbhajan, known among cricket fans as the "Turbanator," said, "Fans gathered at Eden Gardens to watch the Test match between India and South Africa, but the pitch disappointed. South Africa, batting first after winning the toss, were bowled out for 159. Better batting was expected from the Indian team, but they could only manage 189. India's 30-run lead looked like 300 runs. This does not bode well for Test cricket."

He said, "We have seen pitches like this in India in recent years. No matter how good your technique, batsmen cannot survive on such pitches. Even if it were Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli, I don't think they would have been able to survive here. The ball bounced everywhere on this pitch, sometimes staying low, sometimes spinning. In such conditions, things depend on luck rather than ability." We've never seen a situation like this before.

Referring to the Indian team's tour of England, he said, "Both teams performed well. That series was exciting. That's the true nature of a Test series. The Kolkata Test was complete nonsense."