Former England captain Kevin Pietersen defended Indian batsmen following their crushing defeat against South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. India collapsed for just 93 runs while chasing a modest 124-run target on Day 3, resulting in their second-lowest unsuccessful chase in Test history. Pietersen attributed the failure not to individual players but to modern batting techniques shaped by contemporary cricket formats. He argued that today's cricketers focus on hitting sixes and power-hitting rather than mastering innings-building and survival skills against quality bowling. Meanwhile, fellow former England captain Michael Vaughan criticized the pitch preparation, stating India deserved to lose on such a surface. With South Africa leading 1-0 in the two-match series, the second Test is scheduled to begin on November 22 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
Pietersen Defends Players, Blames Modern Cricket Culture
Kevin Pietersen emphasized that Indian players should not face blame for the Kolkata collapse. He explained that modern cricket prioritizes entertainment and financial returns over traditional batting skills. According to Pietersen, batsmen today grow up focusing on switch-hits and boundary-hitting rather than learning survival techniques against spin bowling. The former England captain pointed out that cricket now revolves around bright lights, loud music, and profits for boards and private ownership. Only Washington Sundar, who scored 31 off 92 balls, displayed the patience needed on the difficult surface. Simon Harmer and South Africa's spinners exploited the rank turner effectively, bowling India out cheaply despite the small target.
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