India coach Gautam Gambhir brushed aside the chatter around the Eden Gardens surface, insisting that the pitch had "no demons" and that the curator delivered exactly what the team had asked for, even as India slipped to a 30-run defeat to South Africa in the opening Test.

Shubman Gill's side was rolled over for 93 in the final innings, India's third-lowest fourth-innings total in Test cricket, as the wicket came under scrutiny for its uneven bounce and excessive turn. During the match, Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly had said that the surface had been prepared exactly in line with the Indian team's request.

"This pitch is what we asked for and this is what we got; the curator here was very supportive. I don't think it's a difficult wicket. It's a wicket that ca

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