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Former cricketer Robin Uthappa noted that he received a few comments suggesting he had defended India head coach Gautam Gambhir after the side's shock 30-run defeat to South Africa in Kolkata. The hosts were bowled for just 93 in the fourth innings of the Test series opener.
Uthappa remarked that Gambhir should not be the only one to be blamed, as his job wasn't to go out there and play. The 40-year-old said in his YouTube live session on Tuesday, November 18:
"I saw a comment yesterday suggesting that I was defending GG. Yaar, coach thodi jaake khel raha hai andar (The coach is not playing out there).:"
He pointed out that certain fans even targeted batting legend Rahul Dravid during his stint as India's head coach. Uthappa added:
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"We are looking at the results and blaming a coach, but you have to look at the overall scenario. When they criticized Rahul Dravid, it didn't make sense to me. Scoring 20-30 thousand international runs is not easy. So, if he can be trolled, anyone can be trolled."
It is worth noting that India have now lost four out of their six Test matches at home. They still have a chance to avoid a series defeat by winning the remaining second Test.
"You say no to those types of wickets in the Ranji Trophy" - Robin Uthappa's big statement on Eden Gardens pitch after IND vs SA 2025 1st Test
The Eden Gardens pitch came under the scanner as no team was able to cross the 200-run mark in any innings. Robin Uthappa highlighted that India's current generation of batters doesn't have much experience of playing on such pitches.
He claimed India reprimands associations for such pitches in domestic cricket, but gives a go-ahead to turning tracks for home Tests. Uthappa said in the same video:
"We had neutral curators come and control the kind of wickets we were going to prepare. Because if a game got over in two days, the groundsmen and association were reprimanded. But here, matches are getting over in two-and-a-half days. However, you say no to those types of wickets in the Ranji Trophy.
"You are not encouraged to prepare turning tracks. Even if you are going to prepare a progressively turning track, where there would be a lot of turn on Day 3 and Day 4, you can actually develop batters who are equipped to play well against spin. We have been discouraged from doing that in the past 10 years, and you are taking the players to task for not playing spin well. How will they play if they don't play matches in those conditions?"
The second and final Test of the series will be played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, from Saturday, November 22.
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