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Dharamsala: Team India kicked off the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in spectacular fashion, winning the opening game at the Dharamsala stadium by 7 wickets. ( 7 Wickets) Due to rain, the match—contested as a 25-over-a-side affair—began significantly later than scheduled. Team India included two debutants, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey, in their playing XI; both bowlers claimed three wickets each in their maiden international appearance, achieving a feat that earned them a place on a special list in ODI history.
A Rare Feat for Full-Member Teams in ODIs
It is a rare occurrence for two players to make their international debut in the same match and for both to be bowlers. By taking three wickets each on debut, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey became only the third pair from Full-Member teams in ODI history to achieve the feat of taking three or more wickets while debuting in the same match. Previously, in January 1971, Australia’s Ashley Mallett and Keith Stackpole both claimed three wickets on debut against England. Additionally, in 1997, West Indies’ Colin Croft and Joel Garner took three wickets each on debut in an ODI against Pakistan. When considering both Full-Member and Associate nations, this marks only the seventh time such an event has occurred in ODI cricket. Gurnoor impressed everyone with his pace and length in his very first over.
Gurnoor Brar, a tall fast bowler (over 6 feet) representing Punjab in domestic cricket, had been staking a claim for a spot in Team India for quite some time. When he got the opportunity to make his debut in the first ODI against Afghanistan, he claimed the wicket of Ibrahim Zadran with just his fifth delivery. Clocking speeds exceeding 140 km/h, Gurnoor has shown the potential to become a trump card for Team India’s bowling attack as the team prepares for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
