Kolkata: Ahead of the first Test against South Africa starting Friday at Eden Gardens, Indian captain Shubman Gill inspected the pitch alongside Chief Coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitashu Kotak, consulting with curator Sujan Mukherjee to gauge the pitch conditions. Gill also discussed the bounce and movement of the surface with South Africa’s bowling coach Morne Morkel, understanding how the Eden track tests both batsmen and bowlers.
Eden Gardens is known for its lively pitch during the initial two days, favoring fast bowlers, with spinners coming into play as the match progresses. The track’s bounce and movement pose challenges, especially for batsmen facing pace and swing in the early sessions.
Leading India’s pace attack will be Jasprit Bumrah, whose mastery of reverse swing could prove decisive. On Tuesday, Bumrah bowled in short, intense spells for nearly an hour at Eden, showcasing rhythm and control. His ability to extract reverse swing on this surface makes him India’s trump card in the bowling department.
Joining Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Aakash Deep are also skilled in reverse swing, forming a formidable pace-trio that South African batsmen will find challenging to tackle. Additionally, seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar provide spin support, rounding out a balanced attack.
Mohammed Shami, who played his last Test for India in the 2023 WTC final against Australia, has fully recovered from an ankle injury sustained during the current Ranji season in Bengal. Known for his pace and accuracy, Shami remains in contention for selection, though the final decision rests with the national selectors. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly expressed confidence in Shami’s abilities, highlighting that he remains one of India’s top fast bowlers across formats.
Ahead of the Test series, several India A players, including Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Siraj, Aakash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, and Dhruv Jurel, were part of a four-day unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bengaluru. While fit, most of these players opted for rest at Eden Gardens on Tuesday to manage workload ahead of the series.
India faces selection dilemmas, balancing three genuine pacers with two spinners. Should Dhruv Jurel be included as vice-captain in the playing XI, the team might have to make tough calls, potentially leaving out Sai Sudharsan or limiting opportunities for left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the first Test.
With a lethal combination of pace, swing, and spin, India’s bowling attack, led by Bumrah, looks poised to dominate at Eden Gardens and put South Africa under early pressure.
