India secured their highest-ever ODI run chase at a canter when they struck off the West Indies' 405/7 in just 43 overs with eight wickets remaining in Guwahati. Chief destroyer among the batters was India captain Shubman Gill, who blasted a career-high 223 not out off just 133 balls to carry his bat and guide his side home. The victory sealed the ODI series for the hosts.
But perhaps the most influential character in the farcical match was the incredibly flat pitch in Guwahati. Only nine wickets fell for 811 runs in 93.3 overs. Gambhir, a cricket purist at heart, lamented the lack of contest between bat and ball.
"Look, if I have to be absolutely honest, I feel I think there has to be a bit of more contest between bat and ball, because I think you talk about cricket - but this is not cricket, this is only batting," he told Star Sports.
"Because imagine a young bowler bowling on this wicket, and the opposition getting 400 and then we go on to chase 400. Obviously, for the records it's outstanding, for the crowd it's outstanding, for the broadcaster it's outstanding, but if you ask me as a genuine cricket fan and as a coach, because I have to have sympathy for the bowlers as well.
"When you bowl on this kind of a wicket, it's not fair for the bowlers. So we've got to give something to the bowlers so there's at least something which the bowlers can work with."
The third and final ODI take place on Saturday at New Chandigarh, after which they face off in five T20Is.
Shubman Gill struck a double-century as India recorded their highest-ever ODI run-chase to beat West Indies by eight wickets in Guwahati as the hosts sealed the three-match series with a game to spare.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still very important voices in the India dressing room, despite now only playing one of the three formats, according to bowling coach Morne Morkel.
Virat Kohli marked another landmark in his extraordinary one-day international career with an unbeaten 139 as India opened their three-match series against West Indies with a commanding eight-wicket victory in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy feels the ODI series against India, starting on Sunday, is the ideal opportunity to assess where his team is at in the 50-over format.
