“I don't think I've ever played on a day 5 in India” - Temba Bavuma opens up on Eden Gardens pitch

South African Test captain Temba Bavuma has opened up on the Eden Gardens surface offering uneven bounce, right from the first day of the Test, which made life tough for the batters from both sides.

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Interestingly, Bavuma emerged as the lone batter to score a half-century on a tough wicket as he went on to amass 55 runs off 136 balls to remain not out in the second innings. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Bavuma asserted that the surface felt tricky from a spin point of view.

“I think in the second innings yesterday, it wasn't from a seam point of view, there weren't demons from that point of view. Nothing, at least, that you wouldn't expect. In terms of how they were trying to get you out. From a spin point of view, I felt that it was tricky. A little bit on the extreme side. I find it a bit tricky to trust the bounce of the wicket. Some balls were bouncing nicely. Others were squatting. So that was a bit tricky, which made the cross-batted shots a bit harder,” Bavuma told reporters after a 30-run win over India.

“Maybe from a spin point of view, you'd expect the way the wicket played, more from day 3, day 4 onwards. Maybe that's what you'd expect. But that being said, that's what you can expect when you come to India. I don't think I've ever played on a day 5 in India. Nor have I played day 4. Unless they've scored 600. Nothing new from my previous experience,” he added.

Furthermore, Bavuma asserted that the Indian team requested for such a surface and added that he and his team were completely aware of the spinner-friendly wickets in the Indian sub-continent. 

“I think the wicket that was prepared is what I understand was asked on their side. We've come here knowing that the wickets are going to be spinner-friendly, similar to what we got in this game so it didn't come as a surprise. Obviously, once you're out there in the heat of the moment, it's a different thing. I think for a lot of our younger guys, it's an experience for them to take in,” he concluded.

South Africa will take on India in the second and final Test of the two-match series, starting on November 22, in Guwahati.

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