Gurnoor Brar has already made an impact in his brief exposure in overseas conditions and could be one of captain Shubman Gill’s trump cards in the World Cup next year.
Gurnoor’s towering presence (6’5″) lends him an advantage especially in New Zealand conditions where the bounce and lateral movement could trouble even the best of batters.
The 26-year-old has claimed seven wickets in the first two ODIs, including a match-winning 4/30 in India’s four-run DLS-method victory over New Zealand on Saturday, to emerge as the leading wicket-taker in the series at an average of 10.57.
Besides Gill, the presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli helped him understand the demands of bowling in New Zealand.
“Given their experience, I asked them which lengths and lines I should bowl here. Those practice sessions helped me a lot…” Brar said on Saturday.
He also praised Gill.
“He backs everyone. He does not judge anyone only by their performance. He looks at how much effort is being put in, in which direction the training is taking place and how the player is trying to improve. That matters here,” he added.