India’s Test cricket team is in the midst of a searching self-examination after a stunning 30-run defeat to South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata—a loss that has not only left fans scratching their heads but also ignited a heated debate about the very nature of Test pitches in the country. With the second and final Test of the series set to begin at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday, November 22, 2025, the spotlight is firmly on how India will respond to this setback, both on and off the field.
Just two days after being outplayed by the visiting Proteas, the Indian squad wasted no time returning to training. On Tuesday, November 18, players and support staff, under the watchful eye of coach Gautam Gambhir, were seen hard at work at Eden Gardens. The urgency was palpable. The hosts had failed to chase a modest 124 in the final innings, with South Africa’s bowlers—off-spinner Simon Harmer, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, and even part-timer Aiden Markram—making the most of a dry, turning surface. The defeat, which saw the match end inside two-and-a-half days, left many questioning the wisdom of preparing such a bowler-friendly pitch.
Groundstaff at Eden Gardens were spotted watering the pitch on Monday, November 17, to prepare it for India’s training session. That was a marked contrast to the build-up for the first Test, when the team management had requested a dry surface expected to turn from day one. The plan, designed to give India’s trio of left-arm spinners—Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel—an edge, backfired spectacularly. Not only did the South African spinners outbowl their Indian counterparts, but the home batters also struggled mightily, with six left-handers in the XI for the first time in Indian Test history.
“They have completely destroyed Test cricket. Rest in peace Test cricket,” lamented former India spinner Harbhajan Singh in a scathing critique on his YouTube channel on November 17. Singh, who famously took 13 wickets at Eden Gardens during India’s iconic 2001 win over Australia, didn’t mince words. “The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets. So everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is the wrong way of playing.”
Singh’s comments have struck a chord with many cricket watchers. He argued that excessively bowler-friendly and under-prepared pitches prevent genuine player development. “You are not moving forward in any way, you are just going around in circles like an ox tied to a mill. You are winning, but there is no real benefit. As a cricketer, you are not growing,” he said. The former off-spinner went further, questioning the value of matches where batsmen are made to look clueless by the surface, rather than by the skill of the bowlers. “Then what difference remains between a capable bowler and a capable batsman if the conditions become so favourable that people are getting out because of the pitch and not because of skill? It is sad to see how Test cricket is being played. I don’t know why we are doing this.”
Back at Eden Gardens, the Indian team’s preparations for the Guwahati Test were intense. With captain Shubman Gill suffering a neck injury during the first innings of the Kolkata Test—an injury serious enough to require hospitalization—India is likely to be without its skipper for the series decider. Gill was discharged from a Kolkata hospital but, given the nature of his injury, the team is expected to err on the side of caution and not risk his fitness for the second Test.
In Gill’s absence, the focus has shifted to Sai Sudharsan, who was dropped for the first Test but was seen training energetically on November 18. Sporting his trademark headband, Sudharsan looked sharp in the nets, taking on the fast bowlers with confidence. He now stands as the frontrunner to replace Gill at the top of the order. However, India’s think tank faces a tricky decision: do they risk fielding another left-hander, given how effectively South Africa’s right-arm off-spinner Simon Harmer exploited the lefties in Kolkata? Or do they opt for a right-handed alternative from the likes of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, or Ruturaj Gaikwad—all currently active in the ongoing Ranji Trophy?
Washington Sundar, who replaced Sudharsan at No. 3 in the series opener, was seen bowling to Ravindra Jadeja in the nets, while wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel—who played alongside Rishabh Pant in the first Test—was also putting in the hard yards. The team’s determination to bounce back was evident, but the selection conundrum remains. Will India stick with their left-heavy lineup, or will they tweak their combination to counter South Africa’s spin threat?
The setting for the second Test adds another layer of intrigue. Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium will be hosting a men’s Test for the first time in its history. The pitch is, quite literally, an unknown quantity. With early sunsets in the region, session timings have been adjusted: tea will be taken before lunch, an unusual but necessary move to maximize playing time. All eyes will be on how the surface behaves and whether it offers a more balanced contest between bat and ball than the one in Kolkata.
As the Indian squad prepares to fly out to Assam, the mood is one of determination mixed with uncertainty. The loss in Kolkata has exposed both tactical and structural vulnerabilities, from pitch preparation to team selection and batting technique. The debate sparked by Harbhajan Singh’s comments isn’t likely to fade soon, especially as fans and pundits alike call for pitches that reward skill over opportunism.
With the series on the line and questions swirling about the future of Test cricket in India, the stage is set for a fascinating showdown in Guwahati. Will India regroup and rise to the occasion, or will South Africa seize the historic moment at Barsapara Stadium? Cricket lovers across the globe will be watching closely as the action unfolds, hoping for a contest that honors the best traditions of the longest format.
For now, the Indian team’s response to adversity—both in their training and their willingness to reflect on hard truths—offers a glimmer of hope. The next few days promise drama, debate, and, if the cricketing gods are kind, a classic Test match to remember.
