Cheteshwar Pujara offered a frank assessment of India’s batting after their 30-run loss to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens, saying the team must quickly adapt to surfaces that demand both discipline and initiative. India, chasing 124 on a difficult pitch, were dismissed for 93 in 35 overs, slipping to their fourth defeat in their last six home Tests. The hosts played without captain Shubman Gill in the second innings after his neck injury on Day 1 required hospital care. Washington Sundar and Axar Patel were the only players to offer stretches of resistance, but South Africa’s attack, led by Simon Harmer’s 4/21, controlled the chase from the start.
Speaking on JioStar after the match, Pujara said the conditions could not be an excuse for the collapse. “Whatever the surface is, you need to perform on it and you need to be very well prepared,” he said. He acknowledged that India were “short of one batter” due to Gill’s injury but insisted the responsibility remained collective: “The Indian batters will have to find a way to score runs on such pitches.” He also highlighted areas where the batting group needs more clarity, especially when playing spin on turning tracks at home. “They need to use their feet, play the sweep shot, and play a little more positively on such pitches. You need to put the bowler under pressure,” Pujara said, adding that this was something the side “failed to do in this particular Test match.” Pujara felt that both the head coach and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak will have to guide players towards methods that expand their scoring options. “If the Indian team ends up playing more matches on surfaces like this, then where do the scoring opportunities come from? That is something that needs to be discussed in the team meeting,” he said.
Poll
Should the Indian team adjust their batting approach for difficult pitches?
India’s home season last year finished inconsistently, with results fluctuating across formats, and the latest defeat extended a run that has yet to stabilise. With the second Test in Guwahati approaching, the team has a brief window to reconsider its approach before attempting to level the series.
