Ex-India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin criticised the Cuttack pitch after India's 101-run win in the first T20I against South Africa. Calling it "uneven", he said, "There were balls that were keeping low, and some balls that were kicking up." Ashwin added, "If you look at Shubman Gill's wicket, the bounce with which he got out was 0.71 metres...it was like Perth."