Mumbai, Nov. 17 -- Former India batter Cheteshwar Puajara rejected the notion that India's defeat against South Africa in the recently-concluded Test at Kolkata was due to the transitional period that the Gautam Gambhir-coached team is undergoing.

Speaking on JioStar show 'Cricket Live', Pujara dismissed the idea that India's home defeat was due to a transition phase, saying the team has plenty of proven talent. He argued that losing despite strong players' points to deeper issues and suggested that India would have had a much better chance of winning had the match been played on a better pitch.

"I don't agree with the view that India's defeat at home can be attributed to a transitional phase. While it's understandable to face setbacks ...