{
  "id": 11161534,
  "title": "Gambhir rues batting-friendly pitches after India's record ODI chase",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/gambhir-rues-batting-friendly-pitches-after-indias-record-odi-chase-11161534",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-01T09:38:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/cricket/2026/10/1545554/gambhir-rues-batting-friendly-pitches-after-indias-record-odi-chase"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "GUWAHATI - India's coach Gautam Gambhir lamented the batting-friendly pitch in Guwahati after his team's record-breaking ODI chase. India successfully chased West Indies' 405-7, winning the series 2-0. Gambhir expressed his sympathy for bowlers on such surfaces, stating that the wicket was \"not cricket, this is only batting\". He emphasized the need for a fairer contest between bat and ball, as bowlers already face pressure due to fielding restrictions, two new balls, and aggressive batting. Gambhir also mentioned that the Indian team would experiment with different combinations ahead of the 50-over World Cup next year, given limited time for such decisions due to the Indian Premier League and bilateral commitments. India leads the three-match ODI series 2-0.",
  "summary": "GUWAHATI: India coach Gautam Gambhir said the batting-friendly pitch in Guwahati was unfair on bowlers after his side completed the second-highest successful chase in one-day international history on Wednesday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Gambhir rues batting-friendly pitches after India's record ODI chase",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/gambhir-rues-batting-friendly-pitches-after-indias-record-odi-chase",
        "published": "2026-10-01T04:26:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Gambhir rues batting-friendly pitches after India's record ODI chase",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/gambhir-rues-batting-friendly-pitches-after-indias-record-odi-chase-11121914",
        "published": "2026-10-01T06:03:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}