Guwahati Pitch Offered Little for Bowlers, Says India Batting Coach Sitanshu Kotak

India reached the target with 39 deliveries to spare at the ACA Stadium in a high-scoring contest that produced five centuries, including a double hundred from captain Shubman Gill. The match produced a combined total of 811 runs.

Kotak said the conditions were heavily tilted in favour of the batters and expressed his preference for pitches that provide a more even contest between bat and ball.

"There was not a lot for the bowlers. We wish that it is equally balanced," Kotak said after the match.

He suggested that a surface where a team has to work hard to reach around 300 would provide a more competitive contest, particularly when combined with the fast outfield at the venue.

"The outfield was quick and 20, 30, 40 runs go from there. Particularly in this game, yes, you do feel for the bowlers," he added.

At the same time, Kotak stopped short of placing responsibility entirely on the pitch curator for the unusually high scores. He pointed out that preparing a surface with a predetermined scoring range is difficult, as conditions can behave differently once a match begins.

According to Kotak, modern batting standards also need to be considered when assessing the increasing number of high-scoring ODI matches.

He contrasted the scoring rates of earlier eras with the current game, noting that totals that were once considered substantial can now appear modest because of the evolution of white-ball batting.

West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul similarly felt the Guwahati surface gave bowlers very little room for error.

Rampaul said flat pitches have become increasingly common in international cricket, but felt the Guwahati wicket offered particularly limited assistance to both spin and pace bowling.

He noted that such conditions can make it difficult for bowlers to influence a match, especially when the opposition is capable of producing a very high total.

The nature of the pitch also prompted questions about India's preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. India are scheduled to travel to New Zealand before hosting Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in ODI cricket.

Kotak, however, said he was confident that India's batting unit could adjust to different playing conditions.

He pointed to India's upcoming matches in New Zealand and his own experience of playing in South Africa, where conditions can offer a different challenge from those encountered in India.

Kotak also argued that modern white-ball cricket generally requires reasonable batting surfaces, with extremely low-scoring matches not necessarily desirable.

The India batting coach said the team's preparation would focus on adapting to whatever conditions they encounter rather than expecting every venue to offer the same type of pitch.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir was even more direct in his assessment of the Guwahati surface while speaking to broadcasters after the match.

Gambhir said there needed to be a stronger contest between bat and ball, arguing that the conditions offered bowlers very little to work with.

While acknowledging that the record-breaking chase was impressive for the players and entertaining for the spectators, Gambhir said that, from a coach's and cricket fan's perspective, bowlers also needed conditions that allowed them to influence the game.

The comments from both Kotak and Gambhir underline India's preference for pitches that retain a meaningful contest between batting and bowling, even as high-scoring matches continue to become increasingly common in ODI cricket.