Gurnoor Brar made a dream debut for India last week, picking up three wickets in the first ODI against Afghanistan at the scenic HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
The 6-foot-5-inch speedster needed only five deliveries in international cricket to claim his maiden wicket. Operating consistently at speeds above 145 kmph and touching close to 150 kmph, Gurnoor closed out his spell by picking up two more wickets.
In a rain-curtailed 25-over contest, his disciplined figures of 4.5-0-27-3 helped restrict Afghanistan to 194, paving the way for a comfortable seven-wicket victory for India.
Gurnoor showcased his brilliance in the second ODI in Lucknow as well, returning with figures of 10-0-60-3 as India hammered Afghanistan by 170 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Impressed with Gurnoor Brar’s performance, legendary Sunil Gavaskar praised the BCCI selectors and team management for identifying and backing the Punjab pacer’s potential.
“His run-up is so good, his rhythm is so good, he was hitting the deck and getting the ball to climb. The wicket he got of Gurbaz was particularly impressive because of the way that bouncer followed him. It's very accurate. It comes right at you, exactly where the batter does not want it,” Gavaskar told JioHotstar.
“I think the selection committee deserves all the compliments. If you look at his stats, or his India A performances, they're okay, but not to the extent where you would say he deserved an India cap. However, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, saw something in him, and that's why they picked him. He's also been backed by the management, which is so important,” he added.
During the second ODI, India skipper Shubman Gill led from the front with a spectacular 154 off 110 balls, sharing a 224-run stand with Ishan Kishan (125 off 79 balls) to set a massive 402-run target.
Reflecting on Gill's magnificent run of form across formats, Gavaskar outlined how personal performances directly translate to leadership.
“When you're not getting runs, you're not confident about making those marginal moves that come from your gut feel, like holding back a bowler who has bowled well, giving him an extra over, or moving a fielder from a certain position. That gut feel is a lot stronger when you're personally performing,” Gavaskar stated.
“But if you're not performing, even when you get a gut feel, you're apprehensive about making that call because you're worried about getting it wrong. Since you're also not performing as a player, you'll be criticised for your captaincy as well,” he explained.
Gavaskar expects the opening combination of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to remain intact for the third and final ODI in Chennai, while also emphasizing that the primary focus is evaluating the spin attack.
“I think Rohit and Jaiswal at the top will be the combination again for the last game. The spin department is where India will be looking to tick a few boxes. Kuldeep has bowled well without getting the wickets, and Harsh Dubey bowled well and picked up three wickets in the first game, but he was a little on the expensive side,” Gavaskar said.
“That is where India will be looking for some answers over the next few ODIs, not just in the final game of the series in Chennai,” he concluded.
(With IANS Inputs)
