IF THE One-Day International Series between India and West Indies was part of the Indian team’s preparations for the 2027 ICC 50-over World Cup, then the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had chosen an absolutely flawed strategy. The run-fest the three games produced looked more of a strategy to give the spectators some slam-bang entertainment than a chance to hone skills of the group that would travel to South Africa-Zimbabwe-Namibia. The BCCI would do well to come out of its warped thinking of using home comfort to rake up series victories and start preparing for the pitches and conditions the Men in Blue are likely to encounter during their African safari. No wonder the mountain of runs scored in the second ODI at ACA Stadium in Guwahati invited severe criticism from head coach Gautam Gambhir.

 

The pitch produced more than 800 runs as batsmen just plonked their feet and hammered the white ball at will. This is not taking anything away from the superlative double century scored by captain Shubman Gill or the plethora of hundreds hit by batsmen from either side. However, deep down, the players would also admit that it was a totally one-sided contest. The bowlers emerged the poor victims of the slaughter, damaging their economy rate and denting their confidence. Gambhir was right on the coin when he discarded the Guwahati carnage as “not cricket”. His stressed on having balance between bat and ball and exhorted the pitch creators to offer conditions where bowlers can also work their magic. It was a sensible call from a player who has seen it all during his days in international cricket. The coach knows the importance of preparations for playing in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries where conditions are in contrast of the batting beauties Indians get at home.

 

The record-breaking chases and high-scoring contests on shirt-front pitches like that of Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram would hardly make part of cricket in South Africa. Though pitches have changed character across the world over the years with more help to batsmen, there is no guarantee that conditions would be same in the World Cup. The BCCI should now come out of the mindset of looking at ODIs as an entertainment package consisting a flurry of sixes and fours. It must spare a thought for the bowlers who do not have too much luxury of the already skewed playing conditions. They cannot be always at the receiving end. They deserve a level playing field if not totally favourable conditions. India has in the past rolled out some brilliant pitches that produced an even contest. There has always been a call of making sporting pitches which the BCCI adhered to for a considerable period, even opting for neutral venues with such surfaces in domestic cricket. However, the pitches in the West Indies series leave a lot of questions for the think-tank. The Indian team would never mind a tight contest between bat and ball if it is helping them in good preparations for the upcoming campaign in New Zealand and later in the World Cup.