Harbhajan Singh slams bowler-friendly Eden Gardens pitch after India’s Test defeat to South Africa

Harbhajan Singh has issued a warning regarding the current state of Test cricket, and his remarks are quite incisive. Following India’s unexpected defeat at Eden Gardens, the former spinner proclaimed, “Rest in peace Test cricket.” His passionate critique of inadequately prepared, bowler-friendly pitches is stirring up conversation, as he questions if today’s pitches really assess skill or just create more wickets. Fans and analysts are starting to take notice, and the debate is only beginning.

Harbhajan Singh criticizes Eden Gardens pitch after India South Africa Test defeat

Harbhajan Singh, known for taking 13 wickets at Eden Gardens in India’s memorable 2001 win against Australia, expressed his annoyance just hours after the game ended. In a video posted on his YouTube channel on November 17, 2025, the 44-year-old former cricketer mentioned, “They have completely destroyed Test cricket. Rest in peace Test cricket.” He mentioned that the Eden Gardens pitch showcases a wider problem in modern Test cricket preparation, where the emphasis on results leads to under-prepared pitches that favor bowlers instead of promoting quality play.

HARBHAJAN SINGH ON EDEN GARDENS PITCH:

– "It has been two days, and in two days, the results looks clear, which way the game is going. Rest in peace, test cricket. This is test cricket. But here , the pitch is so terrible that no matter where you Bowl. No matter how good your a… pic.twitter.com/oMIZS7sWKq

— MANU. (@IMManu_18) November 16, 2025

Addressing his audience directly on the channel, Singh remarked, “The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets. So everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is the wrong way of playing.” He set this against his own experience at the venue, observing that the 2001 pitch provided a competitive balance that evaluated skills instead of leveraging the conditions.

Singh took it a step further, standing up for the players from both teams despite the backlash. “Unplayable for any team,” he said on YouTube, stressing that even legends like Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli “would not have survived on such a surface.” In that same video, he referred to the pitch as “pathetic and complete nonsense,” saying, “A mockery has been made out of Test cricket.”.

Michael Vaughan calls Eden Gardens pitch unplayable after 17 wickets tumble in one session

Singh’s comments struck a chord with many, adding to the wave of criticism. Former England captain Michael Vaughan took to social media and broadcast panels during the chaos of Day 2, where 17 wickets fell in just one session, reflecting the same feelings, describing the pitch as “unplayable” and a danger to the integrity of the format. Other former players, like Australia’s Michael Hussey, called it a “disgrace” during the post-match discussion on ESPNcricinfo.

The pitch report from the International Cricket Council (ICC), which came out after the match, labeled the surface as “poor,” leading to a deduction of points for the venue’s future hosting rights according to their rules. This situation brings to mind past issues, such as the 2017 Ranchi Test against Australia, where Singh had earlier slammed spin-friendly pitches for lowering batting quality.

Harbhajan Singh’s words have stirred more than just post-match chatter, they’ve ignited a deeper conversation about the very soul of Test cricket. As debate rages over pitches, skill, and fairness, one thing is clear: the game is at a crossroads, and voices like Singh’s are forcing everyone to confront what kind of cricket the world truly wants to see.