India's head coach Gautam Gambhir slammed batters after the team's 30-run defeat in the first Test match against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Team India needs to chase 124 runs to win the opener Test, but it seemed that the hosts really missed Shubman Gill, who was ruled out due to neck surgery and had to be hospitalised. After captain Temba Bavuma’s resilient 55 not out, and his useful 44-run stand with Corbin Bosch, South Africa’s lead extended to 123.
Gautam Gambhir slammed Indian batters
Harmer's four-wicket haul in the second innings, along with Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, and Keshav Maharaj's scalps, South Africa defeated India to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test match series. After South Africa's win against India, head coach Gautam Gambhir said that you need the right temperament to score runs.
“I felt 123 was very much chaseable. You need the right temperament to score runs, this is what happens when you don’t play well” said Gautam Gambhir while addressing media after India's 30-run defeat against South Africa.
Gautam Gambhir on the Kolkata pitch
Gambhir also opened up on the Kolkata pitch. He reckons that the wicket was to challenge mental toughness, technique and temperament, and batters like KL Rahul, Temba Bavuma, and Washington Sundar scored runs because they played a solid defence game.
"There are no demons in this wicket, Axar, Bavuma scored runs. The majority of the wickets go to seamers. If you take 40 wickets, then there are a lot of wickets by seamers. This is the wicket to challenge mental toughness, technique and temperament. KL Rahul, Temba, and Washington do defence solid. We have played in this kind of wicket" added Gambhir.
"You should be able to have mental toughness. The curator was very supportive. If you have the solid defense and toughness. This is exactly the pitch we were looking for and the curator was very very helpful" Gambhir also said.
IND vs SA 1st Test
Coming back to the first Test match, after opting to bat, South Africa were dismissed for 159 runs, but the World Test Championship winners South Africa staged a remarkable comeback to defeat India by 30 runs in the first Test at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Chasing a modest target of 124, South Africa bowled out India for just 93 in 35 overs on Day 3.
This was South Africa's first Test win in India in 15 years, as the visitors now lead the two-match series 1-0.