Overview
- South Africa beat India by 30 runs at Eden Gardens, bowling the hosts out for 93 in a chase of 124 as the match finished inside three days.
- Head coach Gautam Gambhir said the surface was “exactly the pitch we were looking for,” praising curator Sujan Mukherjee after CAB president Sourav Ganguly said the pitch was left unwatered for four days at India’s request.
- Anil Kumble and Dale Steyn rejected Gambhir’s view, citing erratic turn and bounce; R Ashwin called the preparation quite dangerous and Harbhajan Singh argued such pitches undermine Test cricket.
- India’s home ledger under Gambhir stands at 4–4, Simon Harmer took eight wickets to earn player of the match, and the loss pushed India down to fourth in the World Test Championship table.
- Captain Shubman Gill was hospitalised with a neck spasm and did not bat in the chase, was later discharged, and is doubtful for the November 22 Test in Guwahati as calls grow to restore more balanced home pitches.