Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)
India’s heavy defeat to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens has reignited debate over the team’s approach in home conditions. Batting second, India managed only a small lead and later collapsed for 93 while chasing 124. The absence of captain Shubman Gill due to a neck injury further added pressure on the struggling batting lineup.
The controversy grew after head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that the pitch had been prepared at the team’s request. The remark drew strong reactions, particularly in light of India’s recent struggles on turning tracks.
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Rahane calls for more rank-turners in Domestic cricket
Shedding light on this matter, Ajinkya Rahane strongly disagreed with Gambhir’s remarks. He wanted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to ensure that domestic cricketers gain experience on 'rank-turners.'
He also emphasised that while India often prepares turning pitches for Test matches, players rarely face similar conditions in domestic cricket.
“In Tests, we make pitches that turn. However, you need to understand when they should start turning. If you want wickets that turn from Day 1, then you must have similar pitches in domestic cricket. If your players are going to play on such wickets in Test matches, they need to experience the same in domestic cricket. Domestically, we generally play on flat or seaming pitches. Very few have been rank turners. Yes, a couple of red-soil pitches assist turn, but that usually happens from Day 3 onwards,” stated Rahane in a video on Ashwin's YouTube channel.
Rahane also highlighted the lack of preparation camps before the home series, contrasting India’s approach with that of England and New Zealand.
"Why are we doing well overseas? Because our preparation for touring abroad is good. We play on seaming and bouncy wickets. But for spinning pitches, we haven’t prepared as well. We need to prepare our batters. Hold a 10 to 15-day camp and start preparing for that. Look at England and New Zealand’s preparations. They had camps. England had a camp in Dubai. New Zealand camped in India. But we assemble only three or four days before a Test match and still expect our batters to do well,” he added.
The debate now shifts to the second Test at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, starting November 22. It will be interesting to see how the pitch behaves and whether India can adjust their approach accordingly.
