How Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma helped Gurnoor Brar bounce back in New Zealand

Gurnoor Brar has bounced back from difficult outings in Guwahati and Lord's to emerge as India's leading wicket-taker in the New Zealand ODI series, claiming seven wickets in two matches. He credited Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill for their guidance after winning the Player of the Match award in Wellington.Gurnoor Brar won the Player of the Match award in the Wellington ODI. Courtesy: AFPNew Delhi,Nov 7, 2026 18:40 ISTGurnoor Brar has found his rhythm in New Zealand, emerging as one of India's biggest bowling positives in the ongoing ODI series against the Black Caps. After a couple of difficult outings earlier in his career, the young fast bowler has bounced back with impressive performances in Auckland and Wellington, helping India take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.Brar has picked up seven wickets in two matches, making him the leading wicket-taker in the series. His latest performance was particularly impressive, as he returned career-best ODI figures of 4/30 in Wellington on Saturday, November 7, to earn the Player of the Match award. India eventually registered a thrilling four-run victory under the DLS method.Speaking after India's second consecutive win, Brar opened up about how senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill helped him regain confidence during a difficult phase."I had open nets with Virat and Rohit bhai, and they gave me a lot of inputs. Shubman also guided me," Gurnoor said in the post-match press conference. "Matches in Guwahati and Lord's were demotivating, but it was important to learn from those experiences."GURNOOR BRAR IMPRESSES IN NEW ZEALAND ODIsBrar's struggles in his previous outings were reflected in his bowling figures. In the ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati on September 30, he conceded 96 runs in 10 overs while picking up two wickets. Earlier, during India's ODI against England at Lord's on July 19, he endured another difficult outing, conceding 97 runs in 10 overs without taking a wicket. However, the 6ft 5in pacer has shown considerable improvement in New Zealand. In the opening ODI at Eden Park in Auckland, Brar picked up three wickets for 44 runs in 9.2 overs as India restricted the hosts to 185.He followed it up with an even better performance in Wellington. Bowling with control and making good use of the bounce on offer, Brar troubled New Zealand's batting line-up with a four-wicket haul. His wickets included Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Santner, while his spell played a crucial role in restricting the hosts to 134.With seven wickets in two matches, Brar has emerged as India's leading wicket-taker in the series and will be keen to continue his impressive run.India will next face New Zealand in the third ODI at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday, November 10.- Ends