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India’s national cricket team has got a new fast bowling star. Punjab’s young fast bowler Gurnoor Brar has impressed everyone with a dream start to his ODI career and even created a special record in his very first series for the national team. Earlier, Gurnoor Brar had snatched the credit from Gautam Gambhir for his successful debut.
The selection of Brar in place of Auqib Nabi was widely criticized, but the young fast bowler has fully lived up to the expectations of the national selection committee with his brilliant performance in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home.
Gurnoor Brar silences critics with dream ODI debut series
On Saturday, 20 June, Gurnoor Brar became the leading Indian bowler taking wickets in the debut three-match ODI series. In the process, the Punjab bowlers went ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal and Prasidh Krishna, who previously shared the record with six wickets each.
The 25-year-old made an impact right from his first match. Brar took three wickets in the opening ODI and then took three wickets in the second game as well. In the final ODI, Brar needed just one wicket to create history.
Gurnoor Brar’s historic series confirmed with the wicket of Mohammad Nabi
Although things were not easy for the bowler in the Chennai heat, he still kept putting pressure on the Afghanistan batsmen. Brar consistently touched 140–145 km/h and generated extra bounce from the surface, making it difficult for batsmen to deal with his pace and pace.
History created in blue jersey! #GurnoorBrar took the most wickets by an Indian bowler in the first 3 match bilateral ODI series! #INDvAFG | 3rd ODI LIVE NOW https://t.co/xAkABxqrVm pic.twitter.com/BPyjqsnp5J
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 20, 2026
Ibrahim Zadran found Brar difficult to handle at times in the final ODI and even took a hit on the opener’s helmet with a bouncer. They continued to attack and finally got their reward in the 38th over when a fast ball stayed low and hit Mohammad Nabi’s stumps.
That wicket helped him break the record and finish his first ODI series with an impressive record. Well, the fast bowler’s pace, bounce, fighting attitude and ability to trouble the batsmen has made him one of India’s biggest positives from the Afghanistan series.
After the record breaking series, Shubman Gill gave a big decision on Gurnoor Brar!
After the match, Indian captain Shubman Gill said that Gurnoor Brar had ticked the boxes he was expected to tick in his debut series against Afghanistan at home.
Gill said in the post-match presentation, “Yes, he ticked most of the boxes, but there are some things he can only learn from experience, and hopefully he will continue to develop as a bowler. For me, if I’m being really critical, he took a bit of a run.
He was a little inconsistent at times, but he’s young; He is playing his first series at the top level and he is bowling fast. He has got all the good signs we want from a young, tall, fast bowler. And with experience, he will get even better.”
Now, the Indian team is all set to depart for Ireland and England for white-ball assignments ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.