Stories
Gautam Gambhir Slams Guwahati Pitch After India-West Indies Run-Fest: "This is Not Cricket"
- •Gautam Gambhir criticized the Guwahati pitch after India's record-breaking run chase against West Indies, stating it offered little contest between bat and ball.
- •India successfully chased West Indies' daunting total of 405/7, marking the second-highest run chase in ODI history.
- •Gambhir, as a coach and cricket fan, expressed sympathy for bowlers, arguing that such pitches are "not fair" and hinder bowler development.
- •He emphasized the need for more balance between batting and bowling conditions to ensure a genuine cricket contest.
- •Gambhir highlighted that bowling figures on such pitches should not be viewed in isolation, as bowlers have limited options with two new balls and power-hitting.
Key Questions Answered
Head coach Gautam Gambhir criticized the Guwahati pitch because it offered little assistance to bowlers during a high-scoring run-fest where West Indies scored 405/7 and India chased it down with over six overs to spare. He stated that it was "not cricket, this is only batting" and argued that there needs to be a fairer contest between bat and ball to protect bowlers from being treated too harshly.
India recorded the second highest run chase in ODI history by successfully overtaking West Indies' daunting first-innings total of 405/7 with more than six overs to spare, led by strong performances from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. This achievement marked only the second successful chase of a target of 400 or more in ODI history, following South Africa's famous 438-run chase against Australia in 2006.
Gautam Gambhir stated that bowling figures should not be viewed in isolation on batting-friendly tracks because the margins for bowlers are very small under modern power-hitting conditions with five fielders inside and two new balls. He emphasized that support staff should first evaluate whether bowlers executed their plans properly rather than being overly harsh based purely on analysis, especially when supporting younger players like debutant Auqib Nabi.
