Now Reading: Gambhir says 406-run chase not cricket, just batting
-
01
Gambhir says 406-run chase not cricket, just batting
India head coach Gautam Gambhir criticised the batting-friendly pitch at Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium after India chased a record 406 against West Indies on Wednesday, 30 September, winning by eight wickets and sealing the series 2-0. Gambhir told Star Sports: 'This is not cricket, this is only batting.' He said wickets offering so little to bowlers were 'not fair' and called for a better contest between bat and ball. The match saw 811 runs scored, with Shubman Gill hitting an unbeaten 223 and Rohit Sharma 101 for India, while West Indies' John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo each scored centuries.
Gambhir expressed sympathy for bowlers, noting that fielding restrictions, two new balls and modern power-hitting leave them few options. He defended giving young bowler Auqib Nabi his ODI debut in a series-deciding match rather than a dead rubber, saying it builds pressure experience ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Gambhir urged that bowlers' performances should not be judged purely on figures when conditions offer no help.
India lead the series 2-0, with the final ODI scheduled for New Chandigarh on Saturday, 3 October.
Update, 1 October 2026: DD India now also reports Gambhir's criticism, adding that India have limited time to settle combinations ahead of the 2027 World Cup and that Gambhir said the team will try options until the Zimbabwe series. It confirms the final ODI is scheduled for New Chandigarh on Saturday, 3 October.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All five outlets lead with Gambhir's sharp criticism of the Guwahati pitch, quoting his 'this is not cricket' remark and his call for sympathy for bowlers. ESPNcricinfo, NDTV, Times of India, Times Now and DD India all frame the story neutrally as a coach's honest assessment, with no outlet defending the pitch or questioning Gambhir's stance. Each source includes the same match statistics and Gambhir's reasoning about fielding restrictions and the need to develop young bowlers for the 2027 World Cup. The coverage is uniform straight reporting. The next test of this debate will be the quality of the surface in the final ODI at New Chandigarh on 3 October.
Coverage: 5 sources, 5 neutral
Sources (5): espncricinfo.com (neutral report), ndtv.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), timesnownews.com (neutral report), ddindia.co.in (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
