Eden Gardens’ pitch drew sharp criticism during the India-South Africa Test, with many deeming it unsuitable for the format. Former cricketers like Harbhajan Singh and Michael Vaughan expressed dismay. However, Ravichandran Ashwin defended the surface, attributing batting struggles to technique rather than conditions, highlighting Temba Bavuma’s resilience. South Africa were reduced to 93/7 by stumps on Day 2 in their second innings.