Overview
- India’s 30-run loss in Kolkata followed an experimental XI with four spinners and Washington Sundar promoted to No. 3, where he faced 174 balls but bowled only one over.
- Sourav Ganguly said BCCI-appointed curators prepared the Eden Gardens pitch to team management requests and called talk of sacking the head coach premature.
- Ganguly questioned Sundar’s suitability at first drop and urged a return to specialist top-five batters, while Dinesh Karthik warned the No. 3 move could dilute Sundar’s bowling focus.
- Shubman Gill remains doubtful for the Guwahati Test, with internal options including Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal and recalled all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, as outside right-hand options like Ruturaj Gaikwad or Karun Nair are being discussed.
- India requested a truer, pacier surface in Guwahati and batters such as Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel trained with a one-pad drill to sharpen play against spin after Simon Harmer’s Kolkata impact.