Sunil Gavaskar has praised the selectors, and especially the Ajit Agarkar-led committee, for backing Gurnoor Brar and giving the young pacer the confidence to settle at the international level. The move has already started paying off for India, with Brar emerging as one of the standout performers in the ODI series against Afghanistan after picking up six wickets in the first two matches.
What has impressed Gavaskar most is that Brar was not chosen simply on the back of eye-catching numbers. His List A record was not extraordinary, and he had not exactly set the stage on fire for India A either. But the selectors clearly saw qualities that do not always show up in a scorecard. That trust has been rewarded, especially after Brar’s strong showing in the second ODI in Lucknow, where he finished with 3 for 60 and removed the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
“His run-up is so good, his rhythm is so good, he was hitting the deck and getting the ball to climb. The wicket he got of Gurbaz was particularly impressive because of the way that bouncer followed him. It’s very accurate. It comes right at you, exactly where the batter does not want it. I think the selection committee deserves all the compliments,” Sunil Gavaskar said on JioStar.
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He added, “If you look at his stats, or his India A performances, they’re okay, but not to the extent where you would say he deserved an India cap. However, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, saw something in him, and that’s why they picked him. He’s also been backed by the management, which is so important.”
Brar made an immediate impact on debut in the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamshala, where he claimed three wickets and announced himself on the big stage. With his pace, bounce and ability to hit the deck hard, the right-arm quick is now making a strong case for future selection, including a possible role in India’s plans for the 2027 Cricket World Cup. On South African surfaces, his skill set could prove especially valuable.
Gavaskar also drew attention to Shubman Gill’s leadership, saying that the opener’s rich form with the bat is clearly feeding into his confidence as captain. According to the former India skipper, a captain’s instinct is strongest when he is scoring runs because it allows him to back his decisions without second-guessing himself.
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“When you’re not getting runs, you’re not confident about making those marginal moves that come from your gut feel, like holding back a bowler who has bowled well, giving him an extra over, or moving a fielder from a certain position. That gut feel is a lot stronger when you’re personally performing. But if you’re not performing, even when you get a gut feel, you’re apprehensive about making that call because you’re worried about getting it wrong. Since you’re also not performing as a player, you’ll be criticised for your captaincy as well,” Sunil Gavaskar added on JioStar.
Gill has backed up that theory with two Player of the Match performances against Afghanistan. He began the series with an unbeaten 84 in a rain-hit chase of 195, before going one better in Lucknow with a superb 154, the second-highest ODI score of his career.
