‘Their careers are on the line’: Gambhir’s message after India’s bowling struggles

Gautam Gambhir

Ranchi: Roston Chase’s miserly spell of 3/24 in four overs was crucial in a run-fest in which 501 runs were scored in 38.3 overs, as West Indies stunned India by six wickets in the second T20I. On a surface that produced 249/5 for India and 252/4 for West Indies, Chase stood out with his ability to read the conditions and constantly change his lines. He removed three of India’s first four batters, briefly checking the hosts’ momentum before India recovered through their middle order. India head coach Gautam Gambhir highlighted Chase’s adaptability as the key to his success. “The way he altered his lines was very important because, on this wicket, changing your line matters a lot. Length may or may not change, but if you keep changing the line, you keep the batter guessing,” Gambhir said. “He bowled at the feet, went wide and bowled full. He kept mixing it up. On a wicket like this, that variation is extremely important.” The contrast was stark in the second innings. Express quick Mayank Yadav struck twice in the opening over as West Indies were reduced to 5/2 and then lost a third wicket in the Powerplay. But Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford turned the game around with a 120-run fourth-wicket stand off 54 balls. Hope finished unbeaten on a hundred, while Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 balls. Gambhir admitted the conditions made life difficult for the bowlers but insisted India could not use that as an excuse. “These are tough conditions for bowling. We know that flat wickets with dew make things difficult, but we need to figure out a way to stop the opposition,” he said. In a contest dominated by batting, Chase’s ability to remain economical and keep changing his angles provided a reminder that even on a belter, intelligent bowling can still influence the outcome. His 3/24 was not merely the best spell of the night; it was the spell that briefly brought control to a game otherwise almost entirely dictated by the bat.Bat-ball imbalance irks coach again The defeat also brought Gambhir’s growing concern over the imbalance between bat and ball into focus. After India chased down a 400-plus target in fewer than 44 overs in the Guwahati ODI last week, he had said, “This is not cricket, this is batting.”

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In Ranchi, his assessment was along similar lines. “If you want an even contest, we want that too,” he said, adding, “Those bowlers are our bowlers. Their careers are on the line too. An even contest would make for better cricket.”Dube promotion fails to make an impact The coach also defended the decision to promote Shivam Dube to No. 4, insisting it was part of a long-term strategy rather than a one-off move. Dube could manage only seven off 10 deliveries. “We’ve used him in that role for a long period, including before and during the World Cup. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.

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