There was a time when we used to watch cricket. But what happened in the India vs West Indies 2nd ODI was not cricket. Because cricket is supposed to be a competition between bat and ball. In Guwahati, it was only the bat dominating the ball. And my main point is: where is white-ball cricket, especially in India, heading?

And can we really put this 2nd-highest run chase in ODI cricket anywhere close to the South Africa vs Australia highest ODI run chase or not? Let us shed some light on this.

Before coming to the main point, we need to understand what happened in the India vs West Indies ODI in Guwahati. India won the toss and chose to bowl, asking West Indies to bat first.

West Indies did not have a great start and lost their first wicket early. But because of hundreds from Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo, West Indies posted their highest-ever ODI total of 405.

The Bowlers Took a Beating, But What Happened Next Was Hardly Surprising

The Indian bowlers were taken apart. By the time the first innings ended, Indian fans must have been thinking about what a pathetic performance it was from the bowlers. But even before the second innings started, I, as the writer, had an expectation that Team India could also create fireworks. Considering that pitches these days in India are no less than roads and there was not much bite in the West Indies bowling attack.

And that is exactly what happened. From ball one, India were in control, and at no point did it feel like India were in a pressure situation during the run chase. Think about it, we are talking about a team chasing a target of 400+ in an ODI, and they were not under pressure. Strange, isn’t it?

India completed the run chase in 43.3 overs. Captain Shubman Gill led the chase, scoring an unbeaten 223 and also breaking several records. Rohit also scored a brilliant hundred, while cameos from Virat and Gaikwad helped India cross the line with ease.

Now, both teams’ batters had all the fun. But what about the bowlers?

The poor bowlers must have been left wondering whether their job even mattered in this game. Because if everything is going to be in favour of the batters, then, as Ishant Sharma once said, just put robots out there to bowl and let the batters keep hitting.

ALSO READ: India vs West Indies 2nd ODI: Shubman Gill’s 223* and 29 Records Broken in Guwahati Run-Fest

Pitches in India

For several years now, we have been seeing that the nature of pitches in India in white-ball cricket is usually flat. We get roads and highways, batters cash in, and the poor bowlers are left disappointed. Cricket is supposed to mean a competition between bat and ball.

In the IPL, there are flat pitches, small boundaries, and rules that are set in a way that benefits batters. The confidence of bowlers keeps going down, while the Impact Player rule has allowed teams to play even more freely. And even in international white-ball cricket, flat pitches have been the norm in India for the most part.

Pitches that offer something to fast bowlers, give some help to spinners, or are slow at times happen only occasionally. And not every team has a Bumrah, Rabada, Starc, etc. In fact, even the bowlers whose names I have mentioned, or any other high-quality bowler, get hit on such pitches.

But somehow, they manage to win matches more often than not, even on batting-friendly pitches. But as a bowling unit, not every team has four or five Bumrahs or four or five Starcs. And on these pitches, batters keep hitting the bowlers and do not let them live.

Either set a standard. Or keep the benchmark different. Where 250-270 used to be considered a good score in the past, today even 400 is not safe.

The problem is that in some places, pitches have become too batting-friendly.

England’s Post-2016 Era Is a Prime Example

There was a period in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 when England were scoring a lot of runs. In ODIs, England would casually make 300. They were even scoring 400 and 450+.

But before the 2019 World Cup, Virat had said that matches in the World Cup would not be this high-scoring. They would be evenly poised. And that is exactly what happened.

There was quality in the cricket. Bowlers could breathe as well, and the competition between bat and ball was good.

But even today, there are many places where batters are served everything on a plate. The India vs West Indies match is a prime example. In India, pitches have been flat for several years now.

Quality of the Opposition Makes It Look Even Worse

As a cricket fan, you want a great and closely fought match. But here, it was completely the opposite. West Indies scored 400+ first, and it felt like the match would be a good one. Team India are a strong side, but chasing 400+ is not easy anywhere.

But India completed this run chase as if it were a piece of cake. There was simply no bite in the West Indies bowling. They could not even understand where to bowl. Apart from Alzarri Joseph, no West Indies bowler has even 50 wickets in ODI cricket.

You can check the full scoreboard of India vs West Indies 2nd ODI HERE.

West Indies have not been able to produce quality cricket. They are not even qualified for the World Cup. In such a situation, the combination of the opposition’s quality and the pitches turned this match into a mismatch rather than a contest.

Some teams, like India, Australia, England, and South Africa; playing against weak teams on flat pitches, scoring loads of runs. We don’t want to see that type of cricket. We wanted to see the competition, the tussle, the battle, and the hard work.

ALSO READ: Is Cricket’s Global Expansion Coming at the Cost of Quality?

Can We Compare This Run Chase With South Africa vs Australia’s Highest Run Chase?

If you ask me, absolutely not. There is no chance. This game does not even come close to that game. There is a world of difference between the quality, competition, and emotion of that game and this one. When South Africa chased 435, the quality of the opposition, their bowling, and the match itself were something to watch.

Both teams were evenly matched and were quality sides. And they did it at a time when players’ mindset was not like the hit-and-miss cricket we see today. T20 cricket had only just arrived. It has been 20 years since then. The way that run chase was approached. The ebbs and flows, the close finish. What a game that was.

In fact, the second-highest run chase before this India vs West Indies 2nd ODI also involved SA and AUS. SA chased 372. At times, the pressure was on one side. At times, it shifted to the other. Partnerships were building. Then wickets were falling too. It felt like the run chase would not happen. Then another partnership would come, and it would feel like another record was about to be broken.

Miller’s outstanding hundred. Then Phelukwayo’s cameo at the end. And the contributions from the other batters. That was real cricket. And even that happened 10 years ago.

And let me tell you one more thing. Australia’s main bowlers were rested in that series. Hazlewood and Starc were not playing, while Cummins had not yet become established. But even then, Australia’s bowling, their culture, and their cricket were such that they would obviously bowl better than the West Indies and keep pressure on the opposition.

The whole point of this article is that the quality of cricket has been compromised because of overly batting-friendly pitches and the quality of the opposition. 

Not taking anything away from Team India

I am not taking anything away from Gill and Rohit. Hats off to them. They have displayed their skills brilliantly. And they are now part of history. Whatever the situation was.

Yes, this was the second-highest run chase in history. There have been flat pitches before, and bigger teams must have played against weaker opponents before as well. But the run chase did not happen then. So Team India deserves credit for creating history.

But this match, and today’s cricket, cannot be compared with the quality of the South Africa vs Australia 2006 match. Maybe if two big teams play on flat pitches, and both teams have quality batting and bowling lineups, then even a huge run chase would be enjoyable. It would feel like, okay, runs were scored against a good-quality attack.

But even that would not be enjoyable every day. Just runs being scored, huge totals being made, and then those totals being chased as well. That is not enjoyable cricket.

This should happen too, but bowlers should also get some help. There should be some matches where batters have to work hard as well. Bowlers should have some cushion too. Where even at 270, bowlers can say that if we bowl well, we can defend this.

What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments.

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