‘Their careers are also on the line’: Gautam Gambhir’s blunt message after India’s bowling matches

Ranchi: Roston Chase’s miserable spell of 3/24 in four overs was crucial in a run-fest that saw 501 runs scored in 38.3 overs as West Indies stunned India by six wickets in the second T20I. On a surface that produced 249/5 for India and 252/4 for the West Indies, Chase excelled in his ability to read the conditions and constantly change his lines. He removed three of India’s first four batters and briefly checked the hosts’ momentum before India recovered from their middle order.India head coach Gautam Gambhir highlighted Chase’s adaptability as the key to his success. “The way he changed his lines was very important because this wicket depends a lot on the line change. The length may or may not change, but if you keep changing the line, you keep the batsman guessing,” Gambhir said. “He was looking at his feet, going crazy and throwing full. He kept mixing it up. On a wicket like that, that variation is extremely important.”The contrast was stark in the second innings. Quick express Mayank Yadav struck twice in the opening over as West Indies were reduced to 5/2 before losing the third wicket in the Powerplay. But Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford turned the match around with a 120 for the fourth wicket off 54 balls. Hope finished unbeaten on a hundred while Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 balls.Gambhir admitted the conditions made life difficult for the bowlers but insisted India could not use that as an excuse. “These are tough bowling conditions. We know the flat wickets with the dew make things difficult but we have to figure out a way to stop the opposition,” he said.In a contest dominated by the batsmen, Chase’s ability to remain economical and constantly change angles was a reminder that even at a belter, intelligent bowling can affect the outcome. His 3/24 wasn’t just the best spell of the night; it was a spell that briefly brought control to a game otherwise dictated almost entirely by the bat.Bat-ball imbalance irritates coach againThe defeat also brought Gambhir’s growing concern over the bat-ball imbalance. After India chased down a target of more than 400 in less than 44 overs in the Guwahati ODI last week, he said: “This is not cricket, this is batting.” In Ranchi, his assessment was in a similar vein. “If you want a fair competition, so do we,” he said, adding, “These bowlers are our bowlers. Their careers are also on the line. A fair competition would make for better cricket.”The Dube promotion is failingThe coach also defended the decision to promote Shivam Dube to No.4, insisting that it was part of a long-term strategy rather than a one-off move. Dube could manage only seven of the 10 deliveries.“We’ve used him in that role for a long time, including before and during the World Cup. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.