Desk: In the second T20 match played between India and West Indies, there was such a flood of runs that it has raised serious questions on the equal competition between bat and ball. Batting first in this match, India scored 249 runs, in response to which West Indies, despite losing two wickets in the first over, registered a historic victory by scoring 252 runs in 18.3 overs, thanks to a blazing century by captain Shay Hope. In this match, both the teams together scored a total of 501 runs in less than 40 overs. After this high-scoring match, Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir made a sharp attack on the flat pitch of Ranchi in the press conference.
While talking to the media after the match, Gautam Gambhir bluntly said that mere display of fours and sixes cannot be called cricket. Gambhir said, '”Don't you want to see a good contest between the ball and the bat? Whatever you want, we also want the same. If you want to see only fours and sixes, then we are also ready to see the same. But if you want an equal contest, then we also want the same. These bowlers are our bowlers, their careers are also at stake. They have worked very hard to reach this dressing room. It is not that they have not sweated. So if the ball And there will be equal competition with the bat, only then better cricket will be seen.
It is generally believed that after losing a match, teams blame the pitch, but Gambhir's stance has not been dependent on any one result. This is the second time in the ongoing white-ball series that the Indian coach has raised questions about the behavior of the pitch. Earlier in the second ODI, when West Indies had scored 405 runs and India had achieved the record chase of 406 runs with 8 wickets remaining on the basis of Shubman Gill's double century, Gambhir was not happy even then.
After the victory of West Indies in this match, this 5-match T20 series is tied at 1-1. The third match of the AUB series will be played on 11 October. In this match, both the teams will be eyeing a lead in the series. At the same time, it will be interesting to see in the next matches of the series whether the pitch curators give any opportunity to the bowlers other than the highway-like pitches which are helpful to the batsmen or not.