‘Unplayable for Any Team’: Harbhajan Singh Defends Both Team Players Amid Eden Gardens Pitch Chaos

Harbhajan Singh has never been one to mince words, and after witnessing the dramatic collapse of wickets during the India–South Africa Test at Eden Gardens, the former off-spinner delivered one of his strongest criticisms yet. Calling the surface a “mockery of Test cricket,” Harbhajan expressed deep frustration at how the match tilted heavily in the bowlers’ favour, with uneven bounce, excessive turn and unpredictable behaviour dominating the contest from the opening sessions.

The Kolkata Test saw a staggering fall of wickets, with deliveries shooting low, exploding off a length, and spinning sharply without warning. For Harbhajan, the issue went beyond conditions favouring bowlers  it entered a territory where batting skill became almost irrelevant. He argued that no matter how technically sound a player is, the surface offered almost no opportunity to build an innings with confidence or rhythm.

It was in this context that Harbhajan sparked headlines by saying even legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli would have struggled to survive on such a pitch. His point wasn’t to undermine their greatness but to highlight how extreme and inconsistent the conditions were. When the surface behaves so unpredictably, he argued, even the most elite technique cannot compensate for rogue deliveries.

Posting a sharp message on X, Harbhajan wrote, “Test cricket india vs South Africa the game almost over on 2nd day… What a mockery of Test cricket #RIPTESTCRICKET.” His frustration reflected a wider concern — matches finishing in two or three days do little to preserve the essence of Test cricket, which thrives on long contests, tactical battles, and evolving conditions.

Harbhajan questioned the trend of producing hyper-spin-friendly tracks, claiming that such pitches have become increasingly common in recent years and risk damaging the integrity of the format. The message was clear: if India wishes to protect the value and longevity of Test cricket, pitches must offer a fairer balance between bat and ball.

While some voices defended the surface, suggesting batters needed to adapt better, Harbhajan insisted that the pitch crossed the point of being merely “challenging.” Instead, it became a lottery  one that he believes even all-time greats would struggle to win.

The debate sparked by this Test is sure to continue, but Harbhajan’s words underline a growing worry among purists. For Test cricket to remain the pinnacle of the sport, conditions must enhance the contest  not end it prematurely.