The Eden Garden pitch was the cause of much controversy after India’s 30-run historic defeat to South Africa in the opening match of the two-Test series in Kolkata. Many former players and fans questioned why a surface with inconsistent bounce and minimal support for batters was chosen for such an important match.

The India head coach Gautam Gambhir had strongly defended the challenging Eden Gardens pitch, stating it was precisely the kind of track they wanted ahead of the first Test against South Africa.

On Tuesday, the team returned to Eden Gardens for an optional training session. Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel spent time in the nets while Gambhir observed the practice closely from the sidelines. The highlight of the day wasn’t the batting drills but the warm and friendly exchange betw

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