Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has come out in full support of Gautam Gambhir’s defence of the Eden Gardens pitch after India suffered an embarrassing 30-run defeat to South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series in Kolkata. Gavaskar said the pitch, which has been heavily scrutinised, was not vicious; instead, it was the Indian batters’ lack of temperament and sound technique that led to the shocking loss on Sunday, November 16.

The Kolkata Test ended in two-and-a-half days, with world Test champions South Africa stunning India at their own game. India failed to chase 124, collapsing for just 93 — the first time they had been bowled out for fewer than 100 runs in the fourth innings of a Test.

Although the Eden Gardens surface behaved erratically from the first over, offering turn and

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