1 October 2026 (Navroze Bureau) India head coach Gautam Gambhir has raised concerns over the Guwahati pitch after India completed a record-breaking chase against the West Indies, saying the conditions offered too little assistance to bowlers and resulted in a contest dominated almost entirely by batters.
India defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the second ODI on Wednesday after successfully chasing a target of 406 runs. The victory gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and marked the highest successful ODI run chase in India’s history.
Despite the remarkable batting performances, Gambhir said he was not entirely satisfied with the nature of the contest. Speaking after the match, he called for a better balance between bat and ball and said pitches should provide bowlers with something to work with.
“If I have to be absolutely honest, there has to be a bit more contest between bat and ball,” Gambhir said. “You talk about cricket, but this is not cricket, this is only batting.”
The Guwahati match produced an extraordinary 811 runs across the two innings. West Indies scored 405 for seven after being asked to bat first, while India reached 408 for two in only 43.3 overs. The match became one of the highest-scoring ODI contests in cricket history.
For India, Shubman Gill produced a spectacular innings of 223 not out from 133 balls, registering his first ODI double century. Rohit Sharma also made a century, scoring 101 from 75 deliveries. Their opening partnership of 255 runs provided the foundation for India’s successful chase.
Gill’s unbeaten 223 was the standout performance of the match. The India captain combined powerful strokeplay with controlled batting to take the chase deep into West Indies’ target. He reached his double century in spectacular fashion and remained unbeaten when India completed the chase.
Rohit also played an important role at the top of the order, striking boundaries at a rapid pace and putting pressure on the West Indies bowling attack during the early stages of the chase.
West Indies had earlier posted a formidable 405 for seven. John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo all scored centuries as the visitors capitalised on the batting-friendly conditions.
However, the West Indies total proved insufficient as India’s top order attacked from the beginning. The hosts eventually completed the chase with 39 balls remaining, making it only the second successful chase of a target of 400 or more in men’s ODI cricket.
While the result produced several batting records, the bowling figures reflected the difficult conditions for the teams’ pace attacks. Gambhir said bowlers should not necessarily be judged harshly based only on their final figures when playing on pitches that offer very little assistance.
He particularly highlighted the challenge faced by young bowlers. India handed a debut to Auqib Nabi in the match, but the Jammu and Kashmir pacer conceded 84 runs in 8.5 overs without taking a wicket.
Gambhir said that such figures should be viewed in context and that coaches need to support young bowlers rather than judging them solely by their economy rates or number of runs conceded.
According to Gambhir, modern ODI conditions already place considerable pressure on bowlers because of fielding restrictions, two new balls and the increasing power of modern batters. When a pitch also offers little movement or assistance, the options available to bowlers become even more limited.
The India coach said the priority should be to assess whether bowlers executed their plans properly rather than simply looking at the numbers in the scorecard. He argued that giving young bowlers experience in difficult situations would ultimately help India’s preparation for major tournaments.
Gambhir also explained India’s decision to hand Nabi his debut during a competitive match rather than waiting for the third ODI. He said playing under pressure would provide a more useful assessment of the young bowler ahead of future international challenges.
The comments come with India preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Gambhir stressed that the team has limited opportunities to experiment with different players and combinations before the tournament.
He pointed out that the number of remaining ODIs is relatively small when other commitments, including the Indian Premier League and bilateral series, are taken into account. As a result, India needs to use its upcoming matches to evaluate players and develop backup options.
The second ODI also provided another major indication of India’s batting strength. The opening partnership between Rohit and Gill was one of the defining moments of the match, while Gill’s double century further strengthened his growing reputation in the format.
For the West Indies, the defeat came despite three centuries and a total above 400. Their bowlers struggled to contain India’s aggressive batting lineup, with the hosts maintaining a high scoring rate throughout the chase.
The final ODI of the series will be played in New Chandigarh on Saturday. With India already having secured the series, the match could provide another opportunity for the team management to assess players and combinations ahead of future ODI assignments.
Gambhir’s comments, however, have shifted some of the attention away from the extraordinary batting records and toward the conditions in which they were achieved. His central argument was that high scores can provide entertainment and produce records, but ODI cricket also requires a meaningful contest between bat and ball.
The Guwahati match demonstrated the extraordinary scoring ability of modern batters, but it also highlighted the challenges facing bowlers in extremely batting-friendly conditions. As India continues preparations for the 2027 World Cup, the balance between batting firepower and bowling effectiveness is likely to remain an important part of the team’s planning.