The scoreboard was packed with huge numbers in Guwahati but India head coach Gautam Gambhir was far from impressed. After a record-breaking ODI between India and West Indies produced 811 runs, Gambhir questioned whether the pitch offered a fair contest between bat and ball.
The second ODI was played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday and turned into a complete run-fest. A total of 811 runs were scored during the match. Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 223, while four other batters also scored centuries.
West Indies created history by scoring 405/7, their first ever 400-plus total in ODI cricket. India then went a step further by successfully chasing 406, reaching 406/2 in 43.3 overs for their highest successful ODI chase.
Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 223, while Rohit Sharma scored 101. The pair destroyed the West Indies bowling attack during a huge opening partnership of 254 runs.
For West Indies, John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo all scored centuries, helping their team reach its highest ODI total before India produced an even more aggressive response.
While the enormous number of boundaries may have entertained fans and broadcasters, Gautam Gambhir felt the pitch gave bowlers almost no chance. Speaking to a sports channel, Gambhir said there needed to be more balance between bat and ball. In his view, the Guwahati surface turned the match into a contest dominated almost entirely by batting.
Gautam Gambhir acknowledged that the records and entertainment were excellent for the crowd and broadcasters, but according to him, from the perspective of a cricket fan and coach, the bowlers also deserved some assistance. Gambhir pointed out that it becomes particularly difficult for a young bowler when a team scores 400-plus and the opposition then chases the total.
The pitch remained extremely helpful for batters throughout the match, leaving India’s relatively inexperienced pace attack under severe pressure. Auqib Nabi, making his ODI debut, conceded 84 runs in 8.5 overs. Gurnoor Brar picked up two wickets but gave away 96 runs. Prasidh Krishna finished with figures of 1/45 in five overs. Among India’s bowlers, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja provided the most effective performances with the ball.
However, Gautam Gambhir said the bowlers should not simply be judged by their final figures when the conditions heavily favour batting. The India coach stressed that coaches and support staff must first look at whether a bowler executed their plans properly rather than judging them only by the number of runs conceded.
He said bowlers can sometimes have poor-looking figures even when they have actually followed their plans well. According to Gautam Gambhir, being overly critical based only on statistics could make it harder to develop young bowlers. He also highlighted the challenges modern ODI bowlers face.
With two new balls, five fielders inside the circle and the increasing power-hitting ability of modern batters, bowlers have fewer options available to them. Gambhir believes pitches should therefore provide them with at least some assistance.
Gautam Gambhir also backed Auqib Nabi who was playing his first ODI. Despite conceding 84 runs in 8.5 overs, Gambhir said young players need support while they are developing at international level. He stressed that the coaching staff should consider whether Auqib Nabi executed his bowling plans properly rather than being too harsh because of his figures.
Gautam Gambhir argued that if coaches focus only on the analysis column, young bowlers may struggle to develop with confidence. He believes they need some extra support and room to learn from difficult experiences. For Gambhir, however, the bigger issue in Guwahati was the pitch itself. The surface offered very little assistance to any bowler, while batters from both the teams took full advantage of the conditions.
In the end, the match produced 811 runs, five centuries, West Indies’ first 400-plus ODI total and India’s highest successful ODI chase but for Gautam Gambhir, the biggest talking point was whether such a batting-friendly surface provided enough of a contest between bat and ball.
What is your take on this matter? Let us know.
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