After being unable to defend two great scores in the first two ODIs, West Indies have accepted defeat.
Imagine scoring 400 runs in an ODI match in the first innings. An average team would be rather confident, expecting the opponent to feel the pressure of the massive target, and the bowling attack could relax before trying to go all out and take wickets. That should have been the case for West Indies during the second ODI match. They scored 405 runs, expecting to make a comeback after their first defeat. Instead, they were brutally sidelined by the India openers, who easily chased the target without breaking a sweat.
The issue with Indian pitches is starting to annoy more and more teams/players internationally. It was visible in the latest interview of West Indies head coach Daren Sammy. Before their final ODI match against India, Sammy agreed to the media that they were clearly unable to contain the Indian batsmen the way they should have. He pointed out that the pitches are not exactly ideal for bowling, and they just have to deal with it and try to be consistent despite the adverse circumstances.
The ongoing series keeps creating a bad image for Indian pitches
The flat pitches are something put on for a great show during the IPL matches. Teams scoring 200+ scores easily ensure that the audience gets what they paid for. But the ongoing drama of high-scoring matches begs a serious question: when does BCCI know the line between going too far and creating the optimal pitch?
According to a post from Cricksam02, Daren Sammy said, “We didn’t contain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill on a very, very flat track. In India, the pitches will be good. It's not ideal for bowlers, but we still have to come out and be as consistent as we can be. So that’s where I will challenge them, to be consistent. Because the pitch is there for both bowling sides. Maybe we are not allowed the luck of bowling first, where you bring whatever reverse swing or whatever there is in the dryer conditions.”
Sammy’s words clearly indicate that he is tired of his bowlers getting thrashed around, and he is switching up the strategy for the final ODI matchup. His statements, paired with the verdict from multiple cricket experts, create a major issue for the reputation of Indian pitches worldwide.
India is currently full of batting talents that have the potential to rule the world of international cricket. But beyond that, India is also a nation that has produced some of the finest bowlers and all-rounders in cricket. But if things keep going the way they are right now, India won’t be able to produce talent that can rival the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin again.