Kotak praises Gill’s hunger after unbeaten 233 in Guwahati

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak praised skipper Shubman Gill after Gill’s unbeaten 233 in the second ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. Kotak described the innings as “one of the best innings” he had seen in ODI cricket.

“I feel that hunger is very important for a player. Normally, after getting to 100, you see batters get out. But when Gill was around 110-115, I felt he could probably get to 200,” Kotak said, noting the value of a set batter finishing the game and adding: “Virat (Kohli) did it in the last match, and today Gill did it with Ruturaj (Gaikwad) alongside him. That hunger is important to play an innings like this.”

Reflecting on the match conditions, Kotak said: “It was extremely humid. Even during the warm-up, we were out there for 45 minutes and were completely wet. We fielded for four hours, and then to bat the way Gill did was just unbelievable.”

On preparation for next year’s World Cup, Kotak pointed to forthcoming fixtures and practice locations, saying: “I’ve also been to South Africa, and there are wickets there that can be similar to our conditions. We have to prepare for whatever conditions come our way. Our batters will be ready.” He also questioned how scoring standards have changed, asking: “Sometimes, I wonder how in the 1983 World Cup, 183 in 60 overs was a lot, and today even 400 doesn’t seem enough. Is it only the wickets, or is the standard of batting also going up? It’s debatable.”

West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul said India “played well in the PowerPlay” and put his team “on the back foot,” adding that the focus was on restoring “belief” among the bowlers.

Kotak confirmed a concrete next step for preparation, stating: “As far as preparation is concerned, we’ll be playing five games in New Zealand.”