India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir slammed Guwahati pitch after the hosts won the second ODI against the West Indies by eight wickets at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. Gambhir said it was not cricket, it was batting after both teams aggregated 811 runs in the match.
West Indies posted a par score of 405-7 on the board after John Campbell, skipper Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo scored fine centuries.
On the other hand, India was able to comfortably chase down the mammoth score with 39 balls to spare after Shubman Gill scored a double century whereas Rohit Sharma scored a hundred.
Gautam Gambhir said after the game via Cricinfo, “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, because I think you talk about cricket – but this is not cricket, this is only batting. Because imagine a young bowler bowling on this wicket, and the opposition getting 400, and then we go on to chase 400.”
Gambhir said he felt sympathy for the bowlers after they were taken to the cleaners on Wednesday.
“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.”
The former Indian opener said the pitch was not fair for the bowlers and there should be something in the track for the bowlers.
“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 that the bowlers can work with,” said Gambhir (via the aforementioned source).
The third ODI between India and the West Indies will be played at New Chandigarh on Saturday.
