"Not many better players of spin than Gautam Gambhir" - Temba Bavuma's old IPL tweet goes viral after IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma's old tweet on India head coach Gautam Gambhir resurfaced on social media after the recently concluded Kolkata Test. The Proteas claimed a stunning 30-run victory at Eden Gardens to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

Bavuma's tweet came on April 7, 2017. He lavished praise on Gambhir after his unbeaten 76-run knock off 48 balls guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a dominant 10-wicket win against Gujarat Lions (GL) at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot.

The South African batter lauded Gambhir's ability to counter spin bowling. Suggesting that the southpaw was among the best batters against spinners, Bavuma wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

"Not many better players of spin bowling than Gautum Gambhir."

Temba Bavuma

@TembaBavuma

Not many better players of spin bowling than Gautum Gambhir 🤔#IPL2017 #KKRvsGL

Gambhir took left-arm spinner Shivil Kaushik to the cleaners in the clash. The opening batter struck five fours off the youngster's second over.

Meanwhile, Bavuma earned widespread praise for his batting exploits on a challenging Eden Gardens track in the Test series opener against India. He remained unbeaten on 55 off 136 balls in South Africa's second innings, helping the visitors post a fourth innings target of 124.

In response, India were bowled out for just 93 on Day 3. It was South Africa's first Test win in India since 2010.

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"You should be able to know how to play turn" - Gautam Gambhir's big statement after India's 30-run defeat at Eden Gardens

Speaking after India's defeat, Gautam Gambhir revealed that the hosts asked for a rank turner at Eden Gardens, which they got. He opined that the 124-run target seemed chasable on the turning track.

He emphasized that it was important for the batters to know how to play turn. The Indian coach said in the post-match presentation (via JioHotstar):

"The point is that you should be able to know how to play turn. This is exactly what we asked for, and this is what we got. I thought the curator was very supportive, and I still believe, irrespective of how the wicket was, 123 was chaseable."

He also noted that the side needed a big partnership in the run chase. He also spoke about how absorbing the pressure becomes crucial in such situations. The 44-year-old added:

"We always felt that we can get those partnerships, those 50-run partnerships, we will be in the game. And we were at one stage having that kind of a partnership when Dhruv and Washi were batting, and when Washi and Jaddu were batting. It comes down to whether we have the ability at that time to absorb pressure. The important thing is that can we improve our skill against spinners? Can we improve our temperament?"

Meanwhile, India still have a chance to bounce back and draw the series by winning the second Test. The match will be played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, from Saturday, November 22.