India vs South Africa: ICC rates Eden Gardens pitch ‘satisfactory’

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the Eden Gardens surface for the first Test between India and South Africa ‘satisfactory’ by the match referee, Richie Richardson. Notably, India suffered a 30-run defeat in the first Test in Kolkata.

Interestingly, this rating came close to the pitch for the Boxing Day Ashes 2025-26 Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) between Australia and England, being rated as unsatisfactory by the match referee Jeff Crowe.

Notably, the Eden Gardens Test ended in three days, while the MCG Test concluded in just two days, which England won by four wickets, their first Test win in Australia since 2011. In the Eden Gardens Test, South Africa got all out for 159 and 153, and India for 189 and 93. 

However, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the surface after India’s defeat in the first Test, stating that the majority of the wickets in the game were picked by the seamers comparatively.

"There was no demon in this wicket. It was not an unplayable one. This was not a typical turning track. Majority of the wickets were claimed by the seamers. It was more of a test of your technique and mental toughness. Those who defended well scored runs. This is exactly what we wanted but when you don't play well, this is what happens,” Gambhir said after the match.

Meanwhile, Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak contradicted Gautam Gambhir's views of the Eden Gardens pitch, questioning the quality of the surface.

"See, in the last match wicket, Gautam said that he took all the blame on himself. He said that he took the blame because he felt that he should not put the blame on the curators," Sitanshu Kotak said.

"Now, what happened in the last match, after a day, it felt like it was crumbling. There was a little bit of soil [that came up after the ball pitched]. All of you can see that. That was not expected. Even if the spin was expected, it was after 3 days or on the third day in the evening. Sometimes, the weather, sometimes, even the curators did not want it. I am telling you the truth. No one wanted it to be like this,” he concluded.

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