"There Will Always Be Criticism": India Coach Responds As 800-Run 2nd ODI Sparks Massive Debate Over Guwahati Pitch

Five hundreds, including a double century, more than 800 runs and a slew of batting records broken in the India-West Indies second ODI fuelled criticism of the nature of surfaces in the country, but India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak felt there was “no perfect pitch” in cricket. India's top three of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli continued their batting onslaught as they chased down West Indies' record 405/7 in under 44 overs, with eight wickets in hand, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series on Wednesday.

Defending the wicket, Kotak credited Rohit and Gill for making the daunting chase look easy. Gill smashed a double century, while Rohit struck his 35th ODI hundred and joined the 12,000-run club as India completed a record chase with remarkable ease.

"When we talk about pitches, see, I don't think anyone in the world can make a so-called 'perfect pitch'," Kotak said at the post-match media interaction.

"You can never say this wicket will have 250 or 300 runs. There will always be criticism. If there is a batting collapse, curators will be criticised and vice-versa when it turns out to be a belter," he said.

Kotak further reflected on how dramatically batting standards have changed, from 183 being a huge score in the 60-over era of the 1983 World Cup to 400 not being enough today.

"So whether it is only the wicket to blame or the standard of batting is going high, the way guys are batting, it's debatable.

"But yes, there will be a time when we'll have difficult wickets in one-day games also, and different venues will have different wickets. So hopefully by then we should be prepared."

With these matches seen as India's dress rehearsal for the World Cup in just one year's time, when asked if this could be a recipe for disaster by preparing such flat tracks, Kotak acknowledged that conditions in South Africa could be different.

"I felt the last game (in Thiruvananthapuram), it was slightly holding, turning. This was probably a flatter wicket.

"Now, if you talk about the (World Cup) preparation, I would say we'll be playing five games in New Zealand. I've been to South Africa; there are some wickets that will be similar to our conditions.

"They also want to play on decent wickets because if you give uneven wickets in white-ball cricket and if it's a low-scoring one-day game, nobody wants that.

"So wickets may not be like 350-400. It could be 300, 300-plus... So we should be preparing for whichever conditions, and I think our batters, touch wood, will be ready for any conditions."

Kotak also sympathised with the bowlers because there was very little assistance for them but said India could have done tactically better to concede 30-40 fewer runs.

"Definitely you feel for the bowlers because there was not a lot for the bowlers. But we wish that it is equally balanced. Like I said, maybe a 300-run wicket, and the other team have to fight hard to get to 320-330. But the outfield is quick. So you do feel for the bowlers.

"As coaches, we think we could have restricted them to 30-40 runs less. Could we have planned any better? We could have restricted them to 360. That's what we thought."

Chasing 400-plus initially looked difficult, but the opening partnership between Rohit and Gill, followed by Virat Kohli's contribution, made the chase look almost effortless.

"It's one of the best I have seen in ODI cricket," he said about the Rohit-Shubman 255-run opening-wicket stand that came in just 26.2 overs.

"The way we batted -- Shubman and Rohit started, and then Kohli also contributed. By 32 overs, with 320 runs on the board, the game was more or less over."

Kotak said the difference between a hundred and a big hundred is often hunger and the desire to finish the innings strongly, and Gill showed that mindset despite the difficult heat and humidity.

"I feel players have that hunger. Normally we see a batter getting out after reaching a hundred. But the way Gill was playing, I knew he would get a double.

"We always talk about a set batter finishing the match. It was hot and the humidity was very high. We were out for about 30-45 minutes and got fully drenched in sweat. They fielded for four hours and then the way he batted was just unbelievable."

Prasidh being assessed, Dhir fine

There were some injury setbacks for India, with new-ball pacer Prasidh Krishna suffering a niggle and being able to bowl only five overs, while off-spin all-rounder Naman Dhir was taken off following an ankle twist after bowling 6.1 overs.

Kotak said Prasidh was being monitored and was expected to undergo further assessment and scans on Thursday, while Naman was fine after suffering cramps.

"They are monitoring Prasidh. Probably Thursday evening we'll find out.

"Naman is someone who normally doesn't get cramps, but it can happen," he said on Naman Dhir.

The third and final ODI of the series will be staged in Mullanpur on Saturday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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