India’s premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav on Sunday compared the 22-yard strip at the Barsapara Stadium to a “road” due to the benign nature of the surface that allowed South Africa’s lower-order batters to take the team’s first-innings score to 489 in the second Test.

Asked about his opinion on playing in Kolkata, where batters struggled and here in Barsapara where it became a nightmare for the spinners, Kuldeep’s reply was laced with sarcasm. “Kolkata ka wicket toh alag tha, yeh to pura road tha [Kolkata’s wicket was different and this was a whole road]. So it’s challenging and that’s why it’s called a Test wicket,” said Kuldeep, who claimed 4-115 in 29.1 overs.