New Delhi: India may be in the middle of a rebuild in Test cricket but Cheteshwar Pujara isn’t ready to let the “transition phase” become a shield for disappointing home results. After India slipped to a 30-run defeat against South Africa in Kolkata as they got bowled out for just 93 runs in the final innings, the veteran batter questioned the team’s approach and the broader narrative surrounding the loss.
Speaking on JioStar after the defeat, Pujara said the talent in the squad was too strong for transition to be used as a crutch. “I don’t buy this that India are losing at home because of transition. I can’t digest that,” he said. He pointed at the impressive first-class records of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar, adding that losing at home meant something deeper was off, not just a lack of experience.
“India losing a test match at home is not acceptable.” #CheteshwarPujara says India’s rare home loss has left him upset. 😬
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— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 16, 2025
Pujara questions pitch and preparation
The Kolkata Test was played on a pitch that offered sharp turn, uneven bounce and rough patches from Day 1. Only one half-century was scored across four innings. While the conditions were tough, Pujara didn’t hold back from addressing India’s choices either.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir already said that the surface was “exactly the pitch we were looking for” but Pukara argued that such wickets require a completely different level of preparation. “If you want to play on such tracks, your batters have to be prepared accordingly. It didn’t look like they were prepared,” he said. According to him, batters needed to lean more on sweeps, positive intent and ways to keep the scoreboard moving, areas where Men in Blue looked unsure.
He also pointed out that India’s preference for rank turners has backfired before. After last year’s home whitewash against New Zealand and now their fourth defeat in six home Tests, the decision making around pitches is again under scrutiny.
Road ahead for India’s WTC campaign
Beyond the post-mortem of a single match, the loss has broader consequences. India, who once dominated home Tests without breaking a sweat, have now slipped to fourth in the World Test Championship standings. They sit behind Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka, and the road to the final seems trickier.
Pujara emphasised that relying on the “transition” label won’t help the team address deeper concerns. “There’s so much talent in India, even an India A side could beat South Africa,” he said, underlining the depth in the system.
India now head to Guwahati for the second Test starting November 22. They will aim to level the series before turning their attention to the next WTC challenge in Sri Lanka next year.