It's equally challenging for both sides: Sanjay Bangar

NAGPUR: Could this be another three-day affair? With the ball turning square on the opening day, is the Jamtha pitch a good advertisement for Test cricket?
For the second time in the series, 12 wickets fell on the opening day , and naturally there were plenty of questions thrown at India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar and South African offspinner Simon Harmer - who grabbed 4/78 - about the playing surface.
"It is definitely a result wicket and it's a wicket which is equally challenging for both sides. And whichever side adapts to it has a chance of winning the game," Bangar said while defending Team India's strategy. "When India travel overseas, the ball starts seaming from Day One. I think it is a test of skill, just as you have the skill to counter the seaming ball, the skill against the spinning ball is equally important."
Harmer too felt the Test might not last till the distance. "I don't think the wickets are prepared to last five full days. The reason behind the preparation of the wickets is to get a result. When the Indian team comes to South Africa, we are going to prepare wickets that suit our bowlers. So them playing one seamer...it's clear to see what sort of wicket they are preparing," Harmer quipped.
South African wicketkeeper Dane Vilas gathered plenty of deliveries below his knees, much like in Mohali. "Mohali was much of the same. These are challenging conditions but that's what playing in the subcontinent is all about," Harmer said.
Interestingly, despite having six completed innings, teams are still to use the second new ball. The Indian innings lasted 78.3 overs and it's the longest any team has played in the series so far.
"Today, our batsmen applied themselves well," said Bangar.