‘This is Not Cricket, This is Only Batting’: Gambhir Slams Pitch After India’s Record Chase

India had just completed their highest successful ODI chase. Shubman Gill had smashed an unbeaten 223, Rohit Sharma had scored a century, and a target of 406 had been overhauled in 43.3 overs. Gautam Gambhir’s immediate concern was for the men bowling at them.

“This is not cricket, this is only batting,” the India head coach said after Wednesday’s eight-wicket victory over West Indies in Guwahati, calling for pitches that offered a more even contest.

India finished on 408 for two to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Yet Gambhir argued that the records and entertainment should not obscure how little the surface offered bowlers.

‘Give Something to the Bowlers’

Speaking to Star Sports after the match, Gambhir said such conditions could be particularly unforgiving for a young bowler.

“Obviously, for the records it’s outstanding, for the crowd it’s outstanding, for the broadcaster it’s outstanding, but if you ask me as a genuine cricket fan and as a coach, because I have to have sympathy for the bowlers as well,” he said.

“When you bowl on this kind of a wicket, it’s not fair for the bowlers. So we’ve got to give something to the bowlers so there’s at least something which the bowlers can work with.”

West Indies had piled up 405 for seven through centuries from John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo. India then reached the target with six-and-a-half overs remaining.

Gill’s unbeaten 223 came off 133 balls, while Rohit struck 101 from 75. Their 255-run opening stand set up the chase. Virat Kohli contributed 29 off 19 balls, and Ruturaj Gaikwad finished unbeaten on 31 from 37.

Judge the Plan, Not Just the Figures

Gambhir cautioned against judging bowlers solely by their economy rates on surfaces with so little margin for error.

“Often you can’t be hard on bowlers, because sometimes bowling figures are such that they haven’t bowled as poorly as their figures suggest,” he said.

For the coaching staff, he explained, the first question was whether a bowler had executed the intended plan. Punishing players for expensive figures despite sound execution could undermine their development.

“If you get too hard just looking at their analysis, then we will never be able to develop bowlers,” he said.

He singled out debutant Auqib Nabi as someone who needed support in difficult conditions.

“Imagine Auqib playing his first game... somewhere you need to give them a bit of support and keep a bit of an extra cushion or extra options for them. But unfortunately, today there wasn’t much for any bowler.”

Why Auqib’s Debut Could Not Wait

India could have held Auqib back for the final ODI if the series had already been secured. Gambhir said the decision to debut him with the series still at stake was deliberate.

“In a dead rubber, you don’t have that pressure which comes with the pressure of winning a series. And we all know that the World Cup is all about pressure,” he said.

The same thinking shaped Gurnoor Brar’s deployment in the opening 10 overs and at the death. Gambhir argued that difficult assignments would prepare him better than a protected role designed to produce tidier figures.

“The more he bowls in tough conditions, in tough situations, the better it is for Indian cricket,” he said.

World Cup Clock Is Ticking

Gambhir also warned that the time available to assess players before the 2027 ODI World Cup was shorter than the calendar suggested.

With the IPL and an India-Australia series occupying substantial stretches, he said India had barely 20 ODIs remaining after the West Indies series, including three each against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

“So whatever we plan, whatever options we prepare, we will have to do it as quickly as possible,” he said.

India would continue testing options at least until the Zimbabwe series, Gambhir added, with the aim of concentrating on a broader World Cup squad after the IPL.

The third ODI against West Indies will be played at the PCA International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Saturday.

With inputs from ANI