India head coach Gautam Gambhir has criticized the Guwahati pitch as “not cricket” despite his team completing a world-record successful run chase to clinch the series against West Indies. India reached a target of 406 in just 43.3 overs at the Barsapara Stadium, finishing on 408/2 with 39 balls to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The record-breaking chase was led by Shubman Gill, who scored an unbeaten 223 off 133 balls. This performance set a new record for the highest individual score in a successful ODI run chase, surpassing the previous mark of 201* held by Glenn Maxwell. Following the match, Gill posted a two-word reaction to the chase on social media: “406? Cool.”
Despite the victory and the 811 runs scored throughout the day, Gambhir expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of balance between bat and ball. The surface offered little for the bowlers, with every frontline Indian pace bowler conceding over nine runs per over.
“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,” Gambhir said during his post-match assessment.
The match produced a historical anomaly for the West Indies. They became the first team in ODI history to have three players score centuries in a single innings and still lose. John Campbell, Shai Hope, and Amir Jangoo all reached triple figures, yet were unable to defend a total of 405.
India captain Rohit Sharma also reached a career milestone during his innings of 101, surpassing 12,000 career runs in the ODI format. His partnership with Gill ensured India maintained a scoring rate that rendered the massive target manageable. The series concludes with the final match, though India has already secured the trophy.
