Gautam Gambhir
Ranchi: Roston Chase ’s miserly spell of 3/24 in four overs was crucial in a run-fest in which 501 runs were 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 West Indies, Chase stood out with his ability to read the conditions and constantly change his lines. Express quick Mayank Yadav struck twice in the opening over as West Indies were reduced to 5/2 and then lost a third wicket in the Powerplay. But Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford turned the game around with a 120-run fourth-wicket stand off 54 balls. Hope finished unbeaten on a hundred, while Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 balls. His 3/24 was not merely the best spell of the night; it was the spell that briefly brought control to a game otherwise almost entirely dictated by the bat. After India chased down a 400-plus target in fewer than 44 overs in the Guwahati ODI last week, he had said, “This is not cricket, this is batting.
We know that flat wickets with dew make things difficult, but we need to figure out a way to stop the opposition,” he said. “If you want an even contest, we want that too,” he said, adding, “Those bowlers are our bowlers. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.
He removed three of India’s first four batters, briefly checking the hosts’ momentum before India recovered through their middle order. The contrast was stark in the second innings. Gambhir admitted the conditions made life difficult for the bowlers but insisted India could not use that as an excuse. “These are tough conditions for bowling. In a contest dominated by batting, Chase’s ability to remain economical and keep changing his angles provided a reminder that even on a belter, intelligent bowling can still influence the outcome. The defeat also brought Gambhir’s growing concern over the imbalance between bat and ball into focus. In Ranchi, his assessment was along similar lines. Their careers are on the line too. An even contest would make for better cricket. “We’ve used him in that role for a long period, including before and during the World Cup.
“The way he altered his lines was very important because, on this wicket, changing your line matters a lot.
Length may or may not change, but if you keep changing the line, you keep the batter guessing,” Gambhir said. India head coach Gautam Gambhir highlighted Chase’s adaptability as the key to his success. “He bowled at the feet, went wide and bowled full. He kept mixing it up. On a wicket like this, that variation is extremely important.”