Gurnoor Brar records third-best ODI bowling figures by an Indian in New Zealand

November 7 at Wellington brought a standout individual performance as India pacer Gurnoor Brar finished with figures of 4/30 from his full allocation of 10 overs in the 2nd ODI of India's tour of New Zealand 2026.

His effort helped dismiss the hosts for 134 in 41 overs, with Daryl Mitchell top-scoring for New Zealand with 55. Brar's return placed him third on the all-time list of ODI bowling figures recorded by Indian bowlers on New Zealand soil, behind only Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath.

The four-wicket haul also made Brar the fourth Indian pacer to take four or more wickets against New Zealand in an ODI. Among his victims, Tom Latham fell in the 20th over, caught by Naman Dhir for 7 off 22 balls. Like Latham, Glenn Phillips was dismissed in that same over, caught by Anshul Kamboj for a duck off just 4 balls. Mitchell Santner was caught by KL Rahul for 31, and Kyle Jamieson was taken by Rohit Sharma off the fifth ball of Brar's 10th over to complete the haul.

Where does Brar's 4/30 rank among Indian bowling returns in New Zealand ODIs?

Wellington in March 1994 is where Kumble set the benchmark, claiming 5/33 in 10 overs against the Kiwis on March 30 of that year. At Auckland on December 26, 2002, Srinath produced the second-best return with 4/23 in 10 overs. Brar's 4/30 at Wellington now occupies third place on that list, sitting just behind those two celebrated efforts.

Srinath holds the distinction of two four-wicket hauls in ODIs against New Zealand, while Mohammed Shami has one such performance against the same opposition. Brar's effort at Wellington places him in that select group of Indian pacers who have crossed the four-wicket mark against the Kiwis in the 50-over format.

How did India's pace attack perform across both ODIs in New Zealand?

In the 1st ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, on November 4, 2026, Arshdeep Singh sent down 10 overs and returned figures of 4/70 against New Zealand. Arshdeep's effort at Eden Park demonstrated the sustained pressure India's pace unit applied across both matches of the series.

Brar's 4/30 at Wellington three days later reinforced that theme, with the Punjab seamer going at a considerably tighter rate than Arshdeep had managed in Auckland. Together, the two spells underline how India's pace bowling has been central to their challenge in the series, with Brar's figures now the more economical of the two four-wicket returns recorded by Indian pacers on this tour.