India’s Gurnoor Brar (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)
India’s convincing win over Afghanistan in the opening ODI in Dharamsala was down to two players on opposite ends of their international journeys. While debutant Gurnoor Brar announced himself on the big stage with a brilliant spell of fast bowling, captain Shubman Gill once again showed why he remains one of the best ODI bowlers in the world.The rain-reduced match saw India comfortably win by seven wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but for Brar, the match was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
The Punjabi player, who played his first international match for India after a strong performance at home, admitted that excitement, not pressure, dominated his thoughts before he took to the field.“Obviously I’m not saying there was pressure but there was excitement… Like, I have to do well for India, I have to play well. Obviously everyone wants to do their best here and I was doing the same. I just had to do my best and thanks to God it went well,” Brar said during a conversation with Gill in a video shared by the BCCI.Brar justified the faith of the selectors immediately. He worked at a real pace, consistently exceeding the 145kph mark and reaching 148.2kph during a memorable spell that achieved figures of 3/27.The 26-year-old, who picked up more than 50 wickets in 18 first-class matches and impressed in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season, said getting his first international wicket brought an instant sense of calm.“It feels special, like all the hard work has finally paid off, all the effort you put in in this heat… yeah
It’s a special moment.“(First wicket) yes, it’s like a milestone that you have to cross. When that first wicket happened suddenly, it brought a sense of relief like ‘now there’s no tension’.”Gill then reminded Brar of his first wicket, which came when Ibrahim Zadran miscued the ball high in the air. The India captain jokingly asked if the debutant was worried that the opportunity might be lost.Brar’s response sparked a smile.“Since you were under him, I knew he wouldn’t get dropped.”Despite Berar’s stunning performance, Afghanistan remained competitive thanks to the sensational innings of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored 102 off just 51 deliveries to take the visitors to 194.But India’s chase was under Gill’s control. The leader remained unbeaten on 84 and carefully managed the chase on a surface that was not exactly easy to hit.Explaining his style, Gil said that he entered with a clear goal: to stay until the end and finish the match himself.“So, when I came in to bat, the main thing for me was that I wanted to be there till the end. I wanted to finish the match for the team. And you know, the way I was expecting the start, that start didn’t come. So, I knew I had to work a little harder. The wicket was good, but it was a bit sticky,” Gill said.“The ball was spinning a little bit and breaking a little bit. So I thought if I could get through that period, the game would get easier and easier.“Then once you started running, I was finding my rhythm. Obviously you feel very good when you plan something and everything goes according to plan.”Gill’s calculated knock ensured there were no late hiccups as India completed the chase in 22.5 overs. While the skipper led the home team on another mature ODI outing, Brar left Dharamsala with memories that will last a lifetime after his debut for Indian colours.