Wellington, Nov 7 (IANS) India fast bowler Gurnoor has revealed that he had sought advice from veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during a match-simulation session in New Zealand ahead of the ongoing ODI series and credited the two ex-captains for helping him fine-tune his lines and lengths.
Cited as an x-factor in the bowling line-up due to his tall height and ability to generate steep bounce, Brar was named Player of the Match for his career-best figures of 4-30 as India bowled out New Zealand for 134 and won the second ODI by four runs (DLS method) here at the Hnry Stadium. Brar had also claimed 3-44 in the opening game at Eden Park in Auckland.
“According to me, the backing or support you get for being that x-factor is there. But after that everyone has to do the hard yards. So that was the same thing in my mind. I was not taking anything lightly in my mind – like that I got it and I will do wonders or something will happen. But obviously you have to put efforts for it. You have to push a lot in practice.
“So when I bowled to Virat and Rohit 2-3 days ago, we got an open facility here and had a match simulation type. So I was asking them, ‘Like you have so much experience here. On which lengths and which line can I bowl.’ So those were the practice sessions which he helped me a lot. The same thing keeps happening with Shubman (Gill, current captain) – like as a batsman, what do you think will happen if I bowl here and it will be more difficult to face. So that’s what I try to do,” Brar said in the post-match press conference.
He was very quick in lauding the support from the Indian dressing room towards the bowlers to express themselves freely, even on unhelpful surfaces back home. “Backing is the most important thing for every player. Every player is getting it here. There is a very good atmosphere.
“As far as the flat tracks in India are concerned, we were bowling anyway. But obviously, we should also bowl well there. But he backed us there too and told us that the more you hit the right length, the more good results you will get.”
“Even after coming to New Zealand, they said the same thing – that you back your strength and only you have to bowl that ball – whether it goes for a six or a four, it doesn’t matter to me. You just have to bowl openly and that’s what I’m doing and the results are coming,” he added.
Brar had high praise for skipper Gill, adding that he’s someone who values effort and intent over numbers. “Obviously, he backs everyone. He doesn’t judge anyone by performance or anything like that and how much effort is being put and in which direction is the training taking place and in what direction is the player trying to improve – that matters here.
“Shubman is the same. He himself has a lot of hunger in terms of how can I do better for the team, and how can I improve myself better in terms of plans or something. So he keeps discussing that and we just move forward.”
Looking ahead, Brar said bowling coach Morne Morkel had been guiding him closely, given their similar build and bowling style, though he insisted his focus remained on one game at a time despite the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup being on the horizon.
“Morne Morkel teaches us a lot. Obviously my height and similar kind of style of bowling, he tells us a lot about which length will suit us more on which wicket. So the same thing goes on. Like you said about the World Cup – the ultimate goal is to win the World Cup.
“So that is the back of the mind. But personally, I think about how I can become better in the next game. Like if I have made a mistake, how can I minimize it if we go to Hamilton and do it better. So in my mind, I go match by match and the ultimate goal is that. So I have kept that in mind.”
–IANS
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