India produced an outstanding batting performance against the West Indies in Guwahati, reaching an eight-wicket victory to take an unassailable lead in the three-match ODI series. And although the team had a record run chase, and Shubman Gill had an excellent individual performance, Gambhir was not quite happy with the performance on the field.
The match turned into an extraordinary run-fest, with the two teams combining for 811 runs. There were many centuries of course, including Gill's historic double century, and India’s batters eventually overwhelmed the West Indies’ formidable total. The huge scores provided entertainment to the fans but Gambhir felt the cricket pitch provided too much help to the batters and so the bowlers weren’t given enough chances to compete.
Gautam Gambhir Questions Guwahati Pitch
Gambhir made his views clear during his post-match chat with Star Sports. He said there needs to be a better contest between bat and ball and said the Guwahati surface had turned the game into a contest dominated almost entirely by batting.
“Look, if I have to be absolutely honest, I feel I think there has to be a bit of more contest between bat and ball,” Gambhir added. He added that while such a run-filled match might be outstanding for records, spectators and broadcasters, there also needs to be consideration for the bowlers.
India's coach particularly highlighted the difficulties faced by young bowlers playing on surfaces where even well-executed deliveries can disappear for boundaries. Gambhir said a situation like that makes it difficult for a bowler’s performance to be judged because the margin for error is so small.
Bowlers struggle in 811-Run Thriller
The statistics of the Guwahati match showed Gambhir’s concern. Bowlers from both teams had a tough game; the match produced an extraordinary number of runs.
India's pace attack conceded much, while West Indies bowlers failed to contain India's powerful batting line-up. The pitch had little assistance to the batsmen, and so they kept an aggressive approach throughout the game.
The West Indies had put India under pressure at the start with 405 runs. But India’s response was equally dominant. Gill made a double century and India’s chase finally ended with an eight-wicket victory.
For Gambhir, however, the bowling figures needed to be viewed in context rather than taken at face value.
Gambhir defends Debutant Auqib Nabi
One of the bowlers Gambhir specifically backed was debutant Auqib Nabi. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer conceded 84 runs from 8.5 overs without taking a wicket during his first international appearance.
Gambhir said young bowlers should not be judged harshly based on their numbers, especially when the playing conditions are very poor. The coaching staff should weigh whether a bowler executed the intended plans before judging the final statistics, he said.
According to Gambhir, bowlers are in increasingly difficult situations to play in modern ODI cricket. With two new balls, fielding restrictions and the growth of power-hitting, bowlers can have very few options when the pitch itself does not provide movement or assistance.
He also said that young players need support during the tough games. When a debutant has a tough one, he added, he needs to learn and need to be rewarded for that and not just be judged on the numbers on the scorecard.
Why India debuted Auqib Nabi?
Gambhir also explained why the team management chose to hand Nabi his ODI debut in a match where India were playing to secure the series rather than waiting for a dead rubber.
Nitish Kumar Reddy was rested, allowing Nabi to make the playing XI. Gambhir said the pressure of a meaningful international match was part of the reason for giving the young bowler an opportunity at that stage.
He said World Cup cricket is about pressure and young players need to be exposed to tough situations before big tournament play and the competition in the event of big tournaments happen. Gambhir said that if you give young bowlers opportunities to play low-pressure games only, then they won’t quite prepare for the demands of international cricket.
Gurnoor Brar Also Part Of India’s Development Plan
Gambhir also referred to Gurnoor Brar when discussing India's approach to developing young bowlers. He said emerging players should be exposed to challenging situations, including bowling during the opening overs and at the death.
So while in those situations bowlers have less impressive bowling numbers, Gambhir believes it will help young players develop their skills and understanding of how to perform under pressure.
The India coach’s words highlight the balance between winning matches and preparing players for future challenges. The Guwahati ODI was another example of how modern one-day cricket has become so much about batting but Gambhir was also interested in making sure young bowlers are supported with the right support.
The eight-wicket victory of India and Gill’s double century will shine on the Guwahati night. But Gambhir's 811-run score also raised a broader question about the balance between the bat and ball. He said that big totals can make for memorable matches but competitive bowling is a part of training players and preparing the team to face pressure in international matches.
