Brar finished his debut ODI series with seven wickets at an average of 19.43 and impressed with his pace and bounce. | Photo Credit: RAGU R

India’s steady production line of fast-bowling reserves is an encouraging sign ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, captain Shubman Gill said after leading his side to a 3-0 clean sweep over Afghanistan here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

With the World Cup set to be played in South Africa, India has begun building its pace stocks with conditions in mind, handing opportunities to tall quicks like Gurnoor Brar and Prince Yadav. At the same time, Harshit Rana remains integral in the ODI setup.

“In that middle phase, once the ball gets a little older on a good wicket, with only four fielders outside the circle, batting becomes much easier. That’s why we’re trying bowlers like Prasidh and Harshit. They are tall, fast bowlers who offer us something different,” Gill explained.

“We’ve spoken about giving bowlers like Prasidh and Gurnoor shorter spells – three or four overs – and asked them to bowl their hearts out and bowl as fast as they can.”

That approach paid off handsomely in the third ODI, where Prasidh Krishna set up India’s win with career-best figures of 5/23, helping bowl Afghanistan out for 218 before Yashasvi Jaiswal’s second ODI hundred sealed the chase inside 29 overs.

The right-arm quick shared the new ball with Brar and picked up four wickets inside the PowerPlay – a role he is not usually entrusted with in the format. Explaining the decision, Gill said there are no fixed roles in the side and that flexibility remains key.

“When we go to England – hopefully Jasprit Bumrah comes back – he could take the new ball. If needed, Prasidh can bowl with the new ball as well.

“We’re trying different combinations, and we encourage our bowlers to give everything regardless of whether they’re bowling with the new ball or as first change.”

Brar finished his debut ODI series with seven wickets at an average of 19.43 and impressed with his pace and bounce.

“I think he ticked most of the boxes. Some things only come with experience, and hopefully he’ll keep growing as a bowler,” Gill said.

“If I have to be really critical, he did concede a few runs and was a little inconsistent at times. But he’s young, playing his first series at the highest level, and he’s bowling quick. He has all the qualities we want in a young, tall fast bowler, and with experience, he’s only going to get better.”

Meanwhile, Jaiswal’s second century in his last three ODI outings is set to give the team management a selection headache ahead of India’s tour of England, where it will play a three-match ODI series. Gill admitted it was unfortunate that the 24-year-old often misses out when the full squad is available, but urged him to keep making the most of his opportunities.

“We all know he’s a phenomenal player. It’s not easy for any player because when everyone is available, he’s unfortunately the one who sometimes misses out.

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“Since Virat (Kohli)  bhai wasn’t available in this series, he got the opportunity to play a couple of games, and today he played really well. Hopefully, he’ll continue this form and keep grabbing the opportunities he gets,” Gill said.

When asked about India’s possible top-order combination in England, the captain remained tight-lipped.

“I think the squad will be announced either tomorrow or in the next couple of days. We’ll see who’s in the squad, and then we’ll try to put out the best possible XI in England,” Gill said.

Published on Jun 20, 2026