Gurnoor Brar credits senior players after India's win over New Zealand
The pacer received guidance from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill during the rain-affected second ODI.
Indian pacer Gurnoor Brar credited the support of senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill after India secured a narrow four-wicket victory over New Zealand in a rain-affected second ODI. According to the Times of India, Brar took career-best figures of four wickets for 30 runs to help restrict the visitors to 134 runs in 41 overs.
Brar, who was named Player of the Match, said his plan was to hit his lengths and back his skills. He noted that he initially aimed to bowl fuller before using bouncers at the right moments.
The bowler said he benefited from spending time with Kohli and Rohit Sharma during open-net sessions. He also mentioned receiving guidance from captain Shubman Gill, stating that Gill does not judge players solely on individual performances.
Brar attributed his consistency to his Ranji Trophy experience and advice from senior fast bowler Umesh Yadav. He said he observed how Yadav could repeatedly hit the right areas and asked him for inputs.
The pacer described his previous matches in Guwahati and at Lord's as demotivating but viewed them as important learning experiences. He added that the team management backed the bowling unit even on flat Indian pitches.
India's chase faced difficulties as Gill, Kohli and Rohit were among the early dismissals. However, KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 26, ensuring India stayed ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score when rain ended the match. The win gives India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.