A high-voltage contest in Guwahati turned into an agonizing outing for the Indian bowling attack during the second one-day international against the West Indies. With the team management keeping a long-term eye on preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, several fresh faces were given an opportunity in the absence of established regular frontline pacers. Among them was Jammu and Kashmir medium pacer Auqib Nabi, who received his maiden ODI cap and became only the third cricketer from the valley to play for the Indian senior men's team. However, the international stage proved exceptionally challenging on his debut, resulting in an unwanted bowling record.
John Campbell Sets the Stage with Blistering Century
After being put in to bat by India, the visiting West Indies side launched an immediate and fierce counterattack. Opening batter John Campbell, who considers Caribbean batting legend Chris Gayle his idol, mirrored the destructive approach of the great master. Campbell dismantled the inexperienced Indian pace attack with breathtaking strokeplay across all areas of the ground, reaching his hundred in just 65 balls. His hurricane knock ended after 68 deliveries, having registered 101 runs decorated with nine fours and five massive sixes. This explosive start established the perfect platform for an unprecedented total.
Auqib Nabi Breaks Karsan Ghavri's 51-Year-Old Unwanted Record
The brunt of the West Indian onslaught was borne by debutant Auqib Nabi. Operating on a placid surface in Guwahati, the medium pacer struggled to find the discipline and control required to stem the aggressive shotmaking of the opposition. His spells were repeatedly targeted by the set batters, yielding boundary after boundary without any breakthrough. Nabi finished with figures of none for 84 in his 8.5 overs, being hit for nine boundaries and one maximum.
This performance etched his name into the annals of Indian cricket for an unfortunate reason. Nabi now holds the record for conceding the most runs by an Indian bowler on ODI debut, eclipsing the mark set by Karsan Ghavri against England at Lord's in 1975, where Ghavri gave away 83 runs across 11 overs. Furthermore, for bowlers delivering a minimum of 30 balls, Nabi's economy rate of 9.51 stands as the highest ever recorded by an Indian debutant in one-day internationals.
Shai Hope Capitalizes on Dropped Catch to Anchor the Innings
The dismissal of Campbell brought no relief to the fielding side, as captain Shai Hope and middle-order batter Amir Jangoo continued to pile on the misery. The duo maintained an aggressive scoring rate of nearly eight runs per over right through the middle and death overs. Hope initially anchored the innings before finding his aggressive rhythm. When he was batting on 27, India missed a major opportunity as Virat Kohli dropped a straightforward catch at short midwicket, the ball slipping through his grasp. Capitalizing on the reprieve, the West Indies skipper went on to craft a magnificent captain's knock of 104 off 94 balls, striking eight boundaries and three sixes to extinguish any hopes of an Indian comeback.
Amir Jangoo Powers West Indies to Historic 405 Total
At the other end, Amir Jangoo exhibited exceptional striking ability, thoroughly demoralizing the bowling unit. Jangoo raced to his second ODI hundred in only 69 deliveries and eventually departed after an 83-ball blitz of 114, an innings punctuated by 13 boundaries and three sixes. This remarkable effort marked the first time in the history of ODI cricket that three West Indian batsmen scored centuries in the same innings. Driven by these three tons, the West Indies concluded their innings at 405 for 7, breaching the 400-run barrier in the format for the very first time and surpassing their previous highest total of 389 against England in 2019.
Pace Attack Struggles as Naman Dhir Suffers Ankle Injury
The inexperienced pace unit felt the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was on Asian Games duty, and Mohammed Siraj, who was left out of the playing eleven. Second-change bowler Gurnoor Brar was the most successful among the pace bowlers, claiming two wickets while leaking 96 runs. Prasidh Krishna conceded 45 runs from his five overs while taking one wicket. To compound India's woes on the field, off-spinning all-rounder Naman Dhir suffered a severe ankle sprain during the 36th over and was forced to leave the pitch in considerable pain after delivering 6.1 overs.
Spinners Provide Solace as Kuldeep Yadav Completes 200 Wickets
In an otherwise torrid bowling display, the experienced spin duo offered the only measure of control for the hosts. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav showcased commendable temperament, finishing with figures of two for 65. With this effort, Kuldeep reached the milestone of 200 wickets in one-day international cricket. Despite his steady performance, the lack of support from the rest of the attack allowed the West Indies to march to an unassailable total.
