India went down in the first Test against South Africa at the Edens Gardens inside three days, succumbing to a 30-run defeat on a crumbling surface.

The hosts squandered advantage after gaining a handy 30-run lead in the first innings as Proteas set a target of 124. During the chase, India’s innings folded for a paltry 93, conceding an unassailable 1-0 lead to the visitors in the two-match series.

After the outcome, India head coach Gautam Gambhir didn’t shy away from ownership, admitting that the Eden Gardens pitch was exactly the kind they wanted.

Gambhir’s statement left Anil Kumble confused as the legendary leg-spinner called for more sporting conditions, given the legacy of what the venue has been in Test cricket over many years.

“If you look back at the legacy of Eden Gardens, there have been so many Test matches that have been played. I’ve been coming here since I was an Under-19 kid and I’ve never had a pitch that behaved like this over the three days in a Test match,” Kumble said on JioHotstar after the match.

“I did listen to what Gautam said, he did mention about the fact that the team wanted something like this. Then I’m a bit confused because I know this is a young side.”

The former India head coach also cited the example of recent series away in England where all five Test matches went the distance and ended in a 2-2 draw.

“When you want your young side to grow, which they did exceptionally well in England, on really tough conditions, good cricketing conditions, they fought really well, 2-all draw. Then when you come here, I’m sure they would have done exceptionally well in similar conditions. You need to give them the confidence to continue to score runs. The batterrs need to feel confident of scoring hundreds. For bowlers it needs to be challenging. The wickets will come. They are all skilful bowlers,” Kumble remarked.

Addressing the media after India’s defeat in Kolkata, Gambhir said the team management had asked for a spin-friendly track for the series opener against South Africa.

"The majority of wickets went to the seamers. No, the point is that you should be able to know how to play a turn. And this is what we asked for, and this is what we got. I thought the curator was very supportive,” Gambhir told reporters.

“I still believe that irrespective of how the wicket was, 123 (124) was chaseable. And I felt that if you are willing to put your head down and if you have a solid defense, if you have the temperament, you can definitely score runs. Yes, it might not be a wicket that is going to be very flamboyant, where you can play those big shots. But if you are willing to put your head down, it's definitely a wicket where you can score. I think the inconsistent bounce came into it a lot, both for seamers and spinners,” the coach added.

When asked about the nature of the pitch the Indian team wanted for the Test, Gambhir responded with a sharp retort.

"This is exactly the pitch. And I feel that, as I just mentioned before, the curator was very, very helpful. And this is exactly what we wanted, and this is exactly what we got. When you don't play well, this is what happens,” he stated.