‘I got a lot of input from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill’: Gurnoor Brar after India’s narrow win over New Zealand

Gurnoor Brar (Photo by Sahil Malhotra of TimesofIndia.com) NEW DELHI: Indian pacer Gurnoor Brar hailed the leadership and support of senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill after delivering a match-winning performance in India’s narrow four-wicket win over New Zealand in the rain-affected second ODI. Taking a career-high four wickets for 30 runs, Brar was instrumental in restricting the visitors to just 134 runs in 41 overs.After receiving the Man of the Match award, Brar explained that his bowling approach was built around discipline, consistency and confidence in his ability. He revealed that the plan was to focus on hitting the right lengths before using his putters at the right times.“My plan was simple – hit my lengths and get back to my skills. Every day is a learning opportunity and I want to keep improving and adapting. Originally I tried to mix fuller and then use the bouncer at the right time,” Brar told reporters.The young fast bowler also stressed the importance of supporting players, especially when conditions or performances are not going their way. According to Brar, the Indian team management continued to show confidence in the bowling unit even on flat Indian pitches and encouraged the pacers to trust their skills and play with freedom.“Backing is very important for any player. There were flat tracks in India but even there the management supported us. They asked me to back in my lengths and told me to bowl with freedom,” he added.Brar particularly praised captain Shubman Gill’s leadership and his supportive approach to his teammates. He pointed out that Gill does not judge players on individual performances alone and remains focused on getting the best out of the group.“Shubman Gill supports everyone and doesn’t judge them by their performance. He himself is hungry for himself and the team,” Brar said.Temper also elaborated on the tough experiences he faced during the matches in Guwahati and at Lord’s, admitting that the outings were demotivating. However, he considered them important learning experiences that helped him understand the demands of international cricket.Brar revealed that he benefited greatly from spending time with senior Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during the open-net sessions. Their advice along with Gill’s input helped him work on various aspects of his bowling and improve his understanding of the game.“The matches at Guwahati and Lord’s were demotivating but it was important to learn from those experiences. I had open nets with Virat and Rohit bhai and they gave me a lot of input. Shubman also guided me,” he explained.

“I learned a lot from Umesh Yadav paaji”: Gurnoor Brar

He further credited his Ranji Trophy experience and the guidance of senior fast bowler Umesh Yadav for helping him develop consistency. Brar revealed that observing Yadav’s ability to repeatedly hit the right areas encouraged him to seek advice on maintaining accurate lengths.“I also played Ranji Trophy and these overs helped me. I learned a lot from Umesh Yadav paaji. He took five wickets in the first match and I watched how consistently he could hit his lengths. I asked him about it and he gave me a lot of pointers,” added Brar.Brar’s performance proved decisive in the contest as he dismantled the New Zealand middle order with well-directed short-pitched deliveries. He dismissed Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips in a two-wicket maiden, leaving the visitors struggling at 53 for five.With Auqib Nabi taking two wickets for 31 runs and Anshul Kamboj returning figures of two for 25, India’s young pace attack took New Zealand to 134. The bowlers also put up an impressive 176 and put the opposition under sustained pressure.However, India’s chase was far from comfortable. The home side lost wickets at regular intervals, with Gill, Kohli and Rohit among the first dismissals. At 113 for seven after 26 overs, India faced a tough situation when rain interrupted play.KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 26, keeping India ahead of the required Duckworth-Lewis-Stern score of 109 when the match was eventually called off. The four-wicket win gave India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, with Brar’s breakthrough performances and the team’s collective effort the highlights.