Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey made their international debuts during the first ODI between India and Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday, June 13. While both of them bagged three wickets each, Brar impressed the most with his stellar display of fast bowling.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer opined that Brar was fast-tracked into the national team because of the extra bounce he gets thanks to his tall frame and his ability to bowl at high speeds.
Brar has played only a handful of matches in domestic cricket and only one in the IPL. Jaffer believes that the youngster will only get better as he bowls more and more.
“Very impressive because he (Gurnoor Brar) has that pace, that speed. You know, he has been fast-tracked because of that reason, and also because of his height. He bowls at speeds of 144-145 kmph, gets bounce, and has a very good, solid, strong action. He has not played a lot of junior cricket, I feel the more he plays, the better he will become. He has been fast-tracked because of the promise and potential he showed," Jaffer said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“And I think he did not disappoint. In his very first match, he bowled really well. Today also, the kind of bowling he delivered, the pace, the line and length, it looked very promising. He looks like a very exciting prospect,” he added.
“I had worked with him” - Wasim Jaffer on Gurnoor Brar’s potential
Jaffer recalled his days working as a member of the Punjab Kings' coaching staff and he mentioned that he had the chance to see Brar operating from close quarters. The cricketer-turned-expert predicted a bright future for the 26-year-old.
“I knew this already because I had worked with him in Punjab. I think he played a full season in 2024, and from there he also came into the Gujarat Titans setup. He did not get many chances in the IPL, but because of this potential, people are talking about him. We could see that he could be someone in the future who might bowl for us in Test cricket as well as in One Day cricket," Jaffer stated.
Brar finished with excellent figures of 3/27 in 4.5 overs as India won the rain-curtailed first ODI by seven wickets. The second ODI is set to be played in Lucknow on Wednesday, June 17.
