Dale Steyn brutally attacks Gautam Gambhir for defending Eden Gardens pitch, says it was full of 'demons'

The legendary South African fast bowler Dale Steyn called the Eden Gardens pitch a nightmare for batters after Temba Bavuma and his team registered a stunning 30-run win over India in the ongoing two-match Test series opener in Kolkata on Sunday (November 16).

The spin-friendly pitch at the Eden Gardens made batting extremely difficult and played a big role in the match ending early on Day 3. South African bowlers used the surface perfectly to dominate India, who failed to chase a modest target of 124 runs at the Eden Gardens.

Dale Steyn labels Eden Gardens pitch a nightmare after South Africa's stunning victory

After South Africa’s first Test win in India after 15 years, Dale Steyn has described the Eden Gardens surface as unpredictable, with some balls spinning sharply past the bat and others skidding low, making it extremely difficult to score runs or defend properly.

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Dale Steyn said on JioHotstar, “He (Gautam Gambhir) said there weren’t demons in the pitch? I certainly saw quite a lot. You know, as Anil was saying, some balls are spinning two feet past the bat, hitting the keeper on the shoulder. The next one is skidding through, hitting the pad, and you’re out.

That’s pretty tough to bat on. When batters don’t have the option to score runs, the application of defense becomes the biggest key. That itself means batting is really difficult.”

Dale Steyn slams Eden Gardens pitch, calls it full of demons

Dale Steyn said that the Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar and South African captain Temba Bavuma are the most composed batters, but even they were always at risk on the tricky track.

The legendary fast bowler admitted that the spin-friendly wicket played a huge role in India being bowled out for just 93 while chasing 124 at the Eden Gardens, contrary to the coach Gautam Gambhir’s statement. Gambhir had insisted the pitch held “no demons.”

Steyn signed off by saying, “The two who applied themselves best were Washington Sundar in the fourth innings and Temba Bavuma. Even though they looked like they could have gotten out at any time, a ball had their number on it. But their defense was the most solid. This wicket certainly has demons in it, that’s for sure. Any Test match that finishes within three days has got some demons in it, for sure.”

Read Also: South Africa head coach issues official statement on Jasprit Bumrah’s ‘Bauna’ comment on Temba Bavuma

South Africa take 1-0 lead after a stunning win at Eden Gardens

Meanwhile, South Africa has taken a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series against India after a remarkable win at Eden Gardens. Captain Bavuma has been outstanding, scoring a crucial unbeaten fifty in the second innings and leading his team with smart decisions on the field.

This victory adds to Bavuma’s incredible record of 10 wins in 11 Tests as captain. The Proteas showed their never-give-up attitude throughout the Kolkata Test. Despite being underdogs for most of the game, they never lost focus.

In the absence of Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen stepped up, and Simon Harmer delivered a brilliant bowling performance to steer South Africa to a famous win.