Harbhajan Singh and Michael Vaughan criticized the proceedings of the first Test match between India vs South Africa in Eden Garden, Kolkata after the match headed to the Day 3 finish. Former spinner of Indian team Harbhajan Singh has sparked a storm of criticism, declaring the India’s first Test against South Africa contest a “mockery of Test cricket” as the match hurtles toward a finish in barely two and half days. After 11 fell on the opening day of the first Test – with 15 wickets tumbling on Day 2 – the low-contest lifted uncomfortable questions regarding pitch preparation and the quality of cricket on offer.
Harbhajan Singh did not mince his words on X.
“Test cricket India vs South Africa the game almost over on 2nd day isn’t finished yet. What a mockery of test cricket £RIPTESTCRICKET,” Harbhajan wrote, successfully penning an obituary for the format bedlam in Eden Garden.
Also Read : https://sportslila.com/kuldeep-yadav-wants-leave-for-his-marriage-amid-ind-vs-sa-2025-series-reports/
Harbhajan Singh was not alone in his criticism. Along with him, former England skipper Michael Vaughan posted,
“Awful pitch in Kolkata……£INDvSA,” adding international weight to concerns about the Surface of the pitch.
The pitch of the Eden Garden Kolkata has produced exaggerated and uneven turn from early in the match, leaving batters struggling for the survival from both India and South Africa teams. On Day 2, by stumps, South Africa were 93 for 7, ahead by just 63 runs, with match already leaning towards finish earlier.
Star of the carnage was the veteran all-rounder of India’s veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who claimed four wickets in a spell that sliced through middle and lower order of South Africa. Due to his scalps which pushed India to the brink of a victory within three days, though the display did little to silence questions over the nature of the match rather than the standard of the bowling. Morne Morkel, the bowling coach admitted the team had not assumed such behavior from the surface of the pitch.
Morkel told after play “Even we didn’t expect a wicket to deteriorate so quickly. When we watched the first couple of hours, it looked like a good wicket, so it did deteriorate quite quickly, which was unexpected.”
