India's shock defeat to South Africa in Kolkata has sparked a fierce debate over the pitch, with critics questioning whether home conditions have gone from advantage to liability.
Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, may have expressed support for the Kolkata pitch, but it continues to draw criticism from all quarters.
India, missing skipper Shubman Gill, failed to chase a modest target of 124, collapsing for just 93 in the fourth innings, with South African off-spinner Simon Harmer claiming four crucial wickets.
Midway through Day 3, Cricket Association of Bengal President Sourav Ganguly clarified that the pitch had not been watered for four days at India's request, as they wanted it to assist their spinners.
Gambhir later confirmed this, stating that Curator Sujan Mukherjee had prepared the track exactly to the home side’s specifications.
Several cricketing pundits, including Michael Vaughan, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn, and Cheteshwar Pujara, criticised the decision, arguing that India should have opted for a more sporting track, especially given their strength relative to South Africa.
Adding his voice to the debate, former India batter Wasim Jaffer advised the current management to revert to the pitches used during Virat Kohli's captaincy from 2016 to 2020.
'Looks like we haven't learned our lesson from NZ series loss. The gap between our spinners and opposition spinners reduces on pitches like this. We need to go back to classic Indian pitches, like the ones in 2016-17 season when Virat was captain and Eng and NZ toured. #INDvSA,' Jaffer tweeted on X.
India's record under Gambhir has been disappointing. The team has lost four of its last six Tests at home and faces the real risk of another home series defeat.
Notably, India has yet to beat any SENA country in Tests under Gambhir's tenure. They were whitewashed by New Zealand, lost to Australia, and drew 2-2 with England. Now, with South Africa leading the two-Test series 1-0, India remains winless against the visitors.