Gautam Gambhir summons controversial Eden Gardens curator, confirms India’s No.3 for South Africa Tests

The India National Cricket Team has begun intense preparation under the watchful eyes of the head coach Gautam Gambhir at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday (November 11) ahead of the first Test against South Africa led by Temba Bavuma.

The first Test of the upcoming two-match Test series is all set to get underway on November 14 in Kolkata, and Gambhir wasted no time getting into action. Gambhir, along with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and bowling coach Morne Morkel, walked straight to the center wicket to inspect the pitch.

Gautam Gambhir, Morne Morkel, and Sitanshu Kotak inspect the Eden Pitch ahead of the South Africa Test

As reported by RevSportz, Morkel, Kotak, and Gambhir spent about ten minutes examining the surface closely before the Indian head coach engaged in a long discussion with pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee, analyzing every detail. Gambhir was the first one to come to the ground.

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Meanwhile, Indian captain Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sai Sudharsan were the first to hit the nets. Despite returning from the T20I series in Australia a couple of days back, the Indian players skipped rest days to start training immediately in Kolkata.

Apart from Gill, Jaiswal, and Sai, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy also took part in an optional but crucial practice session ahead of the crucial two-match Test series opener at Eden Gardens.

Sudharsan, who has faced scrutiny for his series of poor scores, had one of the longest batting sessions. He began with throwdowns before moving to the center wicket, where Gambhir himself observed closely and gave pointers. The session hinted that India may continue backing Sudharsan at No. 3 for the first test, despite growing noise over his place in the playing XI.

Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Jasprit Bumrah shine in intense training ahead of South Africa Tests

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill looked in full rhythm during his long net session. He faced both throwdowns and fast bowlers, spending nearly two hours fine-tuning his technique. Jaiswal, who scored a brilliant century in the Ranji Trophy last week, also had a busy day.

The young Indian opener started against the pacers before moving on to face Jadeja and Sundar in the spin nets, with Gambhir monitoring from close quarters and occasionally interacting with the batters. On the bowling front, Bumrah had a light but controlled training routine.

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Bumrah began with stretching and warm-ups, then bowled a short spell off a reduced run-up. A strapping was visible on his right knee, but there were no signs of discomfort. After a brief break, the star pacer returned for a few spot deliveries under the supervision of Morkel and Gambhir.

Gautam Gambhir stresses fitness and focus as India gears up for ICC T20 World Cup 2026

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir shared an update on the team’s preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The Indian head coach has stressed that the team is focused on improving fitness and performance standards before the tournament. He added that while the team is progressing well, they haven’t yet reached the level they want to be at for the World Cup.

Gambhir told bcci.tv: “Our dressing room has been very transparent and honest, and we aim to maintain that. I think we're still not at our target for the T20 World Cup. Hopefully, the players understand the importance of being fit. We have three months left to reach where we need to be.”