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‘Even I Would Have Taken Wickets Here’ - Kris Srikkanth Tears Into ‘Horrible’ Eden Pitch
Follow UsHe also rubbished Gambhir's claims of there being 'no demons' on the pitch
Another home Test for India, and once again, as it’s happened so often in the last five years, it’s the pitch that’s ended up coming under the scanner.
Test cricket’s return to Eden Gardens after six years was a forgettable one as India not only slipped to an embarrassing 30-run defeat, but the up-and-down pitch in Kolkata ended up hogging all the limelight.
On an up-and-down surface with variable bounce from the very first over, no scores over 200 were posted, as both pacers and spinners wreaked havoc. Only one batter (Temba Bavuma) passed fifty and, in the end, it was South Africa who utilised the surface better as they registered a Test win in India after 15 years.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the pitch after the game, but former India captain Kris Srikkanth tore into the surface and labelled the Eden Gardens surface ‘horrible’.
"The wicket was a bad wicket. Gambhir said post match that there were no demons in the wicket but come on, it was a horrible wicket. It was not a Test match wicket. If the game ends in 2.5 days, there's clearly something wrong with the wicket,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
The former India captain further joked that even he would have collected a handful of wickets on the up-and-down Eden surface.
"On these turning tracks, India have been on the backfoot. Look at the scores, 159, 189, 153, 93. Obviously there's something wrong with the wicket,” Srikkanth said.
“First day Bumrah bowled an absolute snorter to Markram that nearly went above his head. It's up and down for the quicks, it's turning square for the spinners. On this surface, even I would have taken wickets if I had bowled. Bowling stump-to-stump would have done the trick."
Srikkanth further questioned India’s decision to play four specialist spinners in Kolkata.
"They played 4 spinners and one spinner (Sundar) didn't even bowl. In the second innings he didn't bowl a single ball,” he said.
“I don't understand the logic behind selecting 4 spinners. My problem is not with selecting Washington and playing him at No.3, but not giving him any bowling whatsoever.”