Despite India’s comfortable 7-wicket victory over West Indies in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, head coach Gautam Gambhir wasn’t pleased with the nature of the surface. While the win sealed a 2-0 clean sweep for India in the series, Gambhir emphasized that the Delhi pitch lacked pace and bounce, making it tough for fast bowlers to make an impact.
Gambhir, who has been vocal about improving Test cricket standards, said that although the result came on the fifth day, the pitch did not offer enough assistance to either medium pacers or finger spinners. “We got the result on Day 5, but the ball wasn’t carrying to the wicketkeeper or slips even after taking the edge. A better pitch would have made for a more competitive contest,” the head coach remarked after the match.
“Fast Bowlers Deserve Conditions to Contribute” – Gambhir
Gambhir praised Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, calling them key to India’s success in the longer format, but added that surfaces like the one in Delhi limit their effectiveness. “We often talk about the importance of spinners, but when you have two world-class pacers, you want them to influence matches. For that, you need a pitch with movement and bounce,” he said.
Traditionally, Delhi’s pitch has favored spinners, but in this match, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar struggled to extract any turn. The slow surface allowed West Indian batters to play comfortably off the back foot, frustrating India’s attack for large parts of the game.
Also see: India Next Test Matches Schedule 2025–2026
India’s next Test challenge will come against South Africa, with the two-match series starting on 14 November 2025 in Kolkata, followed by the second Test in Guwahati. Gambhir and the team management are keen on preparing “sporting” wickets that provide equal opportunities for both bat and ball.
“Test cricket’s future depends on quality pitches,” Gambhir stressed. “We all share the responsibility to ensure there’s pace, bounce, and excitement in the game.”
Also see: India Seal Series with Commanding Victory Over West Indies in Delhi Test
With this statement, the former India opener made it clear — India may have won the series, but there’s still work to be done to make red-ball cricket in the country more balanced and engaging for players and fans alike.
