It was a night of impressive displays for India, particularly during their commanding six wicket win over Afghanistan in the opening ODI at Dharamsala, but one man really caught the eye. Young speedster Gurnoor Brar not only made his international debut but also demonstrated why the selectors have been so eager to monitor his progress. Picking up three wickets during the match the 26-year-old proved to be an integral part of India's victory, and he owes a lot to his dedication, recent hardships and some vital advice from Indian skipper Shubman Gill. Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of Brar's debut was that his first wicket was taken by Gill himself. Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran was caught by Shubman Gill at mid-off and this marked Brar's maiden success at the international level. The young paceman had struggled in his debut IPL season in 2023 and had to overcome disappointment, having been unable to bag a bid in the IPL 2024 auctions. Brar admitted that he had found his sheer pace to be more of a deterrent as bowlers now knew to not be scared of 155 KPH. The 26-year-old said: "Tez ball se paaji ab koi darta nahi chahe aap 155 hi kyu na daal rahe ho. I learnt the lesson the hard way." However, Gill offered him a way back into the fold as he invited him to join Gujarat Titans as a net bowler for the IPL 2024. Brar was advised by Gill to try and find greater lengths with his bowling. Also Read | Harmanpreet Kaur Breaks Her Silence On Pakistan Handshake Issue Before World Cup Opener Years of hard work finally bear fruits The last two seasons have been ones that Gurnoor Brar has spent in the Gujarat Titans' camp but failed to earn a single start. Despite this, he chose to remain positive and instead tried to better himself in the practice sessions. He was encouraged by the staff to bowl the red ball consistently in order to find rhythm. He also bowled for India A against Australia A which had convinced the selectors he could maintain the length for longer spells and generate enough bounce. Brar's performance for India A was crucial as the national selection committee were impressed with his ability to maintain good length. He showed just why he deserves his chance during his spell against Afghanistan as he used the full ball in the initial stages to dismiss Ibrahim Zadran and bowled well to trap Rashid Khan leg before. He followed this up with brilliant lengths, which included some impressive full length balls which had great swing on offer. The team's skipper Shubman Gill was all praise for his debut. Gill said after the game. "Very impressive how Gurnoor bowled brilliant pace and the way he was swinging the ball, the kind of length he bowled consistently," With the next ODI World Cup in 2027 already being on the cards, the debutant has given India another option of a pacer who could be groomed for that tournament after veteran bowlers like Bumrah and Siraj are expected to return later for series. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has already been impressed by the development shown in his domestic and India A campaigns, which can only benefit the team. The paceman's journey had not been easy but his patience paid off and the advice he had received from Gill: "Tu aa ja, kaafi seekhega", proved to be the turning point of his career and India debut proved just that.