Legendary former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has strongly criticized the team for preparing rank turners following the loss to South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series.
The match ended on Day 3 (Sunday, November 16), with the hosts losing by 30 runs while chasing 124, being bowled out for 93 in 35 overs. As India lost the Test, the Eden Gardens pitch came under scrutiny for excessively aiding the bowlers.
Reacting to the situation in a YouTube video, Harbhajan opined that such pitches have destroyed Test cricket. He added that these tracks do not allow players to grow, and that skills do not matter on such wickets.
He said:
“They have completely destroyed Test cricket. RIP to Test cricket, rest in peace Test cricket. The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets, so everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is a wrong way of playing.”
Harbhajan continued:
“You are not moving forward in any way, you are just going around in circles like an ox tied to a mill. You are winning, but there is no real benefit. As a cricketer, you are not growing. So I feel it is high time to see and reflect on this—that playing matches on such pitches where your batsmen are not even sure how to score runs, and you are making them look like they do not know how to bat. Then what difference remains between a capable bowler and a capable batsman if the conditions become so favourable that people are getting out because of the pitch and not because of skill?”
South African off-spinner Simon Harmer was named Player of the Match after taking eight wickets across both innings.
### “Beyond my understanding” – Harbhajan Singh lashes out at pitches used in India for Test cricket
In the same video, Harbhajan Singh highlighted that India were whitewashed by New Zealand in a three-match home series last year, and yet again the team went ahead with preparing rank turners. He questioned the need for such pitches, given the quality of the players.
He said:
“It is sad to see the Test cricket situation, the way Test cricket is being played. Matches are ending in two and a half days. For me, this is shocking, shocking. And this is not changing. I do not know for what reason. We have just lost matches in New Zealand, and now again at home this kind of pitch has been made. We went to England and played such good cricket there, and once they came home again the same useless work. What is the difference then?”
“Why are we doing this? I do not understand. You have such a good team. Your batting is solid. Your bowling, your spin department is solid. Your fast bowling, you have solid fast bowlers, Bumrah, Siraj. What else do you need? Even if not in two and a half days, you will win in five days. But at least make good pitches. What is even happening? It is beyond my understanding,” he added.
Harbhajan Singh further stated:
“Our team is so capable, we can beat any team on good wickets. But if you play like this, Harmer will take wickets. Someone whose name you have never even heard will take wickets. He becomes a bowler. Anyone random comes here and becomes a bowler and goes back after getting our batsmen out. And then we talk about why their average is dipping. Of course, it will dip. On such pitches, what will the batsman do? Defend? Play shots? What? You are not even sure what to do because it is not the bowler’s skill getting you out, the pitch is getting you out.”
The two teams will return to action for the second and final Test, scheduled to begin on Saturday, November 22, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
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