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India vs South Africa 1st Test: Legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh was not happy with the contest taking place between India and South Africa in the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. While the match heads towards a quick finish, Harbhajan declared the contest a "mockery of Test cricket" with a recent post on social media.

With 15 wickets falling on the second day after 11 fell on the opening day, the low-scoring contest has raised uncomfortable questions about pitch preparation and the quality of cricket on offer. Taking to X, Harbhajan did not mince his words. "Test cricket India vs South Africa, the game is almost over on the 2nd day, isn’t finished yet. What a mockery of test cricket #RIPTESTCRICKET," he wrote, effectively penning an obituary for the format amid the chaotic scenes in Kolkata.

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The series opener between India and the Proteas will likely witness a result on the third day of the match. The visitors were reduced to 93/7 in their second innings after Ravindra Jadeja triggered a collapse in their batting order. The left-arm spinner took four wickets for 29 runs in his 13 overs, whereas Kuldeep Yadav found a couple of scalps as well. The match witnessed a heavy turn on offer on the second day, with uneven bounce also troubling the batters.

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A total of 15 wickets have been taken by the spinners in this match so far. Other international players also shared their views on the pitch. Former Australia captain Aaron Finch wondered what his followers thought of the pitch, saying he personally loved 'fielders crowding the bat'. "What are your thoughts on the type of wicket we are seeing in Kolkata? I love seeing fielders crowding the bat and the ball spinning big, which makes for great viewing. Interested to hear how others see it," he said on X.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted, "Awful pitch in Kolkata … #INDvSA," adding international weight to concerns about the surface.

Only KL Rahul's 39 off 119 balls, the highest individual score of the match so far, witnessed a bit of Test-match resilience. Earlier in the day, India folded for 62.2 overs against South Africa’s first-innings 159, with off-spinner Simon Harmer picking up four wickets on a pitch that offered him impressive assistance.

 

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