Bowlers Have Become Punching Bags!

Punching bags, that’s the moniker the fast bowlers and spinners have become in the ongoing One-day series against the West Indies. What transpired in God’s own country in Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) and around the Brahmaputra (Guwahati, Assam) was nothing short of carnage: the bowlers were put through the shredder. All because of a featherbed of a surface and a team that took the bowlers out of the equation straightaway. Only four Men in Blue batters have stepped out of the dugout; skipper Shubman Gill has piled up 333 in two knocks with a double (223*) at Guwahati, Virat Kohli 168, with an unbeaten 139 near Kovalam and Rohit Sharma 133 with a 101 in the second match. The fourth batter was Ruturaj Gaekwad, who too has an average of 78.57. The authorities cared a fig for the bowlers who were taken apart for 695 runs off 600 balls by the Indian batters. The home team has so far hammered 66x4s and 38x6s. The Men in Maroon have scored 663 off 603 balls with 4x100s. The second ODI was indeed not a good advertisement for the sport; it would be interesting to know how the ICC rates the surface at Guwahati. No wonder India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir described the match as “This is not cricket, this is only batting. If I have to be absolutely honest, I feel there has to be a bit more contest between bat and ball.” The third and final match will be played at New Chandigarh on Saturday (Oct 3). The pitch is unlikely to be any different. So far it’s been a graveyard! India has won the series, its aim will be to lift the numbers to 3-0.