India’s National Cricket Team batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has openly contradicted head coach Gautam Gambhir over his comments regarding the pitch for the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The match, which ended in a disappointing 30-run loss for India, has sparked widespread debate about the nature of the pitch and its role in the defeat. While Gambhir appeared to accept full responsibility for the conditions, Kotak has revealed a different perspective, suggesting that no one actually wanted such a deteriorated surface.
Gautam Gambhir’s Comments
After the match, Gautam Gambhir took to the media and stated that he alone accepted responsibility for the pitch, emphasizing the team’s poor batting performance rather than blaming the curator. He said that the team had wanted exactly the pitch that was offered and that India’s batters failed to capitalize on it.
This statement drew criticism from several former cricketers, including Michael Vaughan, Harbhajan Singh, Kris Srikkanth, and Dale Steyn, who felt that the pitch played a major role in India’s defeat. The debate intensified as fans and experts questioned why a bowling-friendly surface was prepared despite India fielding a strong side.
Sitanshu Kotak’s Contradiction
Contradicting Gambhir, Kotak revealed that the head coach did not actually want to blame the curator publicly. “See, in the last match wicket, Gautam said that he took all the blame on himself. He said that he took the blame because he felt that he should not put the blame on the curators,” Kotak told reporters.
He clarified that nobody intended for the pitch to deteriorate so quickly, causing the match to finish in just two and a half days. According to Kotak, the team had expected the pitch to assist spin only after three days, but the surface crumbled much earlier, surprising the players and coaches alike.
Pitch Issues and Team Strategy
Kotak explained that the wicket became unusually dry from the second day, with the top layer cracking while the underlying soil remained hard, likely due to heavy rolling before the match.
“Even if the spin was expected, it was after three days or on the third day in the evening. Sometimes, the weather, sometimes, even the curators did not want it. I am telling you the truth. No one wanted it to be like this,” Kotak said.
He emphasized that the team plays Test cricket with the expectation of matches lasting four to four-and-a-half days and that the sudden deterioration in Kolkata was unexpected. Kotak added that India’s strategy relies on spinners getting some assistance from the surface, but the extreme pace of the pitch breakdown was not part of their plan.
Focus on Strengths
While clarifying the pitch situation, Kotak denied that India’s loss could be solely blamed on the surface. “We just need a little spin because spin is our strength. On the first day, on the second day, fast bowlers always stay in the game,” he said, citing past Tests in Ahmedabad and Delhi as examples.
He added that the soil coming off the wicket in Kolkata on the second day was surprising and unprecedented. Kotak stressed that the team’s goal is always to play long, competitive Test matches, and that conditions should ideally allow spinners to contribute without abruptly ending the game.
