Harbhajan Singh Slams India’s Spin-Heavy Home Pitches After Series Loss to South Africa
New Delhi — Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has delivered a stinging assessment of India’s Test-match approach after the team slumped to its second consecutive home series defeat, this time against South Africa. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan said that Indian cricket is risking the quality of its future by relying on excessively spin-friendly tracks that produce matches ending in two to three days.
“We’ve Forgotten Five-Day Cricket”
Harbhajan argued that India’s domestic and international pitches have conditioned players to chase quick results instead of learning the grind of traditional Test cricket.
“We do not know how to play matches for five days,” he said.
“We’ve become so used to pitches where games finish in two or three days. It has dragged down batting averages of players like Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane from around 50 to the mid-30s.”
The former spinner claimed that India’s once-dominant home run — built on rank turners over the past decade — has now backfired, leaving batters ill-prepared and the team vulnerable against disciplined touring sides.
A Call to ‘Protect Future Generations’
Harbhajan urged the Indian team management and state associations to rethink pitch preparation, warning that prioritising favourable conditions over balanced surfaces is harming long-term development.
“For the betterment of Indian cricket, forget what happened in the last 10–12 years. Start making better wickets to save the future generation,” he said.
He emphasised that true Test cricket demands patience, discipline and adaptability, qualities he believes cannot be developed on surfaces that deteriorate within hours.
Declining Batting Standards, Rising Concerns
India’s batting lineup has indeed faced criticism for its inconsistency. Many experts agree that the habit of playing on spin-heavy tracks has contributed to frequent collapses — both at home and overseas.
Harbhajan warned that without moving to more balanced pitches, India risks producing a generation of cricketers who struggle in challenging conditions abroad, undermining the team's global competitiveness.
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