South Africa stunned India by 30 runs in the opening Test at Eden Gardens on Sunday, securing their first win on Indian soil in 15 years and reigniting uncomfortable questions about the hosts’ batting against quality spin on home tracks. Chasing 124, India folded for 93 in just 35 overs, never finding the method or composure that South African skipper Temba Bavuma had displayed earlier in the day.India were effectively a batter short, with captain Shubman Gill unavailable after being hospitalised with a neck injury sustained on day two. On a surface expected to favour Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, it was Simon Harmer who made the decisive impact, finishing with a match haul of eight wickets.“There were no demons in this wicket. It wasn’t unplayable. If we keep talking about the wicket, the majority of the wickets were by the seamers. This was a pitch where your technique, mental toughness and temperament were tested,” head coach Gautam Gambhir told reporters in the post-match press conference, firmly rejecting criticism of the pitch.“This is exactly the pitch we wanted, but if you don’t play well, then this will happen. I think 124 was a chaseable target.” Stand-in captain Rishabh Pant admitted India succumbed to pressure. “We should have chased this down. The pressure kept on building in the second innings,” he said.Washington Sundar (31 off 92) and Jadeja (18 off 26) briefly revived hopes with calm, soft-handed cricket, but Harmer trapped Jadeja and Aiden Markram removed Sundar soon after. Dhruv Jurel showed early maturity before an ill-judged pull undid him, while Pant’s tentative 2 off 13 ended in a simple return catch.Axar Patel’s 26 off 17 provided a fleeting roar, but with only Bumrah left, risks outweighed reward and Maharaj struck twice in two balls to seal the result.Earlier, Bavuma’s gritty 55 not out and Corbin Bosch’s brisk 25 dragged South Africa to 153, stretching the lead past 100. Marco Jansen then rattled India with strikes on Jaiswal and Rahul before lunch. Though Siraj and Jadeja wrapped up the innings efficiently, India’s batters faltered where Bavuma flourished.The defeat was India’s fourth in their last six home Tests, another reminder that their spin blueprint is beginning to betray them.
