Mount 405 scaled: Rohit, Gill power India's record ODI chase, seal series in Guwahati

Brief score: India (406/2 in 41.4 ovs) beat West Indies (405/7) by 8 wickets in Guwahati.

If you were a bowler in Guwahati on this night, it was arguably the worst nightmare you could imagine. India’s batting fireworks had no end, with ODI captain Shubman Gill leading the charge with his second double hundred in the format, while Rohit Sharma added a century as India chased down a record target to seal the series 2-0 with a 8-wicket win on Wednesday, September 30.

There had been no instance since 2006 of a team winning after conceding a 400-plus total. Yet, against those daunting odds, Shubman Gill and his side made the chase look remarkably simple. The skipper led from the front, while Rohit Sharma once again showed there is plenty left in the tank for this format.

Before turning to India’s opening pair, the West Indies batters deserve plenty of credit for the way they responded after their shortcomings in the first ODI. Their middle order had struggled to carry the innings through the middle and death overs, but there was a clear change in approach in Guwahati.

John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo took the attack to India and ensured the innings went deep. Campbell set the tone with a 68-ball 101, smashing nine fours and five sixes. Hope followed with 104 off 94 balls, hitting eight fours and three sixes.

Jangoo then provided the late surge, smashing 114 off 77 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. The trio powered the West Indies to their highest-ever ODI total and gave India a daunting target to chase. For India, the performance also highlighted the challenge of bowling effectively on a flat surface.SHUBMAN GILL LEADS THE WAY

When you consider the target India had to overcome, the pressure could easily have taken over. Instead, Shubman Gill showed exactly why he was able to dictate the chase. The India captain was in no rush early on, trusting Rohit Sharma to settle alongside him and take the pressure off.

Rohit did exactly that. Showing glimpses of his vintage best, he took on the pacers with his trademark range of strokes and gave India the ideal start. That allowed Gill to play himself in without the asking rate becoming a burden.

Once Gill found his rhythm, however, the chase began to feel almost effortless. He had a clear plan: see off the new ball, assess the conditions and then target the shorter or more favourable boundaries. From there, Gill took control of the innings and turned an imposing target into a chase that suddenly looked within India’s reach.

Amar Sunil Panicker is a passionate sports enthusiast with a deep love for cricket, football, and MMA. A Manchester United supporter since 2004, he is also a firm critic of F1 as a sport.