Gurnoor Brar won the Player of the Match for his 4/30 in second ODI in Wellington.
Ex-India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri said that he was impressed with how Gurnoor Brar is getting better with each outing and knows his strengths and how to use them. This came after Brar starred for India with a Player of the Match-winning performance in the second ODI between New Zealand and India.
This game was played in Wellington on November 7, 2026, and saw India’s Shubman Gill winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. The match was reduced to 47 overs per side due to rain.
Under overcast conditions and a bouncy pitch, New Zealand batters struggled against the pace and bounce generated by six-foot-five Gurnoor Brar, who picked 4/30 for India. Daryl Mitchell top-scored with 55, while Mitchell Santner made 31, as New Zealand was bundled out for 134 runs.
In reply, New Zealand pacers dished out the same treatment to India batters, though Rohit Sharma (23), Shreyas Iyer (30), and KL Rahul (26*) ensured that India was ahead of the DLS par score when rain returned, with India at 113/7 in 26 overs.
India won by 4 runs via the DLS method and went 2-0 up in the five-ODI series. Gurnoor Brar won the Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling.
The manner in which Brar discussed his bowling during the post-match presentation especially impressed Ravi Shastri. The pacer was starting to recognize his strengths and, more crucially, learning not to let his own pace get the better of him, according to the former India coach.
"I like the way he spoke in the post-match as well. He said, I know I'm fast; I've got to use my pace to good effect. But I don't want to be carried away; I want to hit the hard lengths, which he's done here, and take the wickets.
When a young bowler knows what his strengths are and wants to live up to it, it's a good sign. You saw him at Eden Park. You saw him here. He's growing in confidence, and he's getting better and better,” Shastri said on Sony Sports.
India captain Shubman Gill was equally happy with Brar's development, noting that the pacer already has the qualities needed to be successful at the international level.
"In the last match, Gurnoor bowled really well too. As he gets more experience, he'll get more consistent. He already has the pace and bounce. Most of the seamers have all the qualities. International cricket is about performing under pressure," Gill said during the post-match presentation.
India will hope the young pacer carries that confidence into the third ODI against New Zealand in Hamilton on November 10.