Indian fast bowler Gurnoor Brar said the conditions in New Zealand suited his bowling style and extra bounce at Auckland’s Eden Park helped trouble the opposition batters. The young pacer said adjusting length of his delivery and using his height worked for him during the first ODI against New Zealand.
Brar bowled well in the first match on November 4, picking up three wickets for 44 runs. His bowling helped India bowl out New Zealand for 185 in 40.2 overs and put the visitors in a strong position.
Brar did eventually bowl well but his first over was expensive. Brought into the attack by captain Shubman Gill in the 13th over he gave away 13 runs. New Zealand batter Tim Seifert took full on a fuller delivery and hit a six immediately putting pressure on Indian bowler.
Brar didn’t take long to change tack though. He knew the conditions and started bowling hard lengths rather than pitching the ball too far forward. That gave him an opportunity to use the extra bounce on offer and make scoring harder for New Zealand batters.
His change of approach was immediately evident. In the 15th over Brar got Seifert with a ball outside off stump and the batter tried to play it but couldn’t control it and it went towards mid-on where substitute fielder Ruturaj Gaikwad took the catch.
Brar continued to pile on the pressure and later got rid of New Zealand captain Tom Latham and Blair Tickner to finish with 3 wickets in the match.
The pacer also said conversations with fellow Indian bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Anshul Kamboj helped him understand the surface better. Both had already bowled on it and told him hard lengths could be particularly useful.
Brar said his height (6 feet 5 inches) was an advantage too. His natural release point meant he could get extra bounce and it was hard for batters to settle against him.
He also said that the Indian team had practised for four or five days at the venue before the match. That practice helped them get used to conditions and how the surface would behave.
India won the rain-affected first ODI by five wickets. After interruption, target was reduced to 143 runs using Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. India chased down the target in 22.4 overs with Virat Kohli scoring an important 74 off 51 balls.
With the win India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.
Brar’s performance was good news for India’s bowling department. He showed he could adjust after an expensive start, find the right length and use the bounce all signs of a fast bowler. As series goes on his knowledge of New Zealand conditions will be useful to Indian team.
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