Indian fast bowler Gurnoor Brar made headlines with a stunning display of power-hitting on Day 2 of the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Facing Sri Lankan spinner Dilum Sudeera in the day's final over, the lanky left-hander unleashed an absolute assault, dispatching four deliveries over the boundary rope. The over began with Devdutt Padikkal taking a single to hand over the strike, after which Brar promptly launched two consecutive sixes.
Gurnoor Brar hammers four sixes in final over to leave fans surprised
Exuding confidence, Brar then turned down a single to keep the strike himself—a gamble that paid off handsomely as he closed out the day with two more towering maximums. His whirlwind, unbeaten 36 off just 18 deliveries provided a dramatic finish to the evening, showcasing a surprise dimension to his game and earning high praise from the dugout.
ALSO READ: IND vs SLC XI: Padikkal's century helps India give strong retort to Sri Lanka, ends Day 2 at 357/6
Granted full license to cut loose, Gurnoor Brar made the absolute most of his opportunity. The moment Devdutt Padikkal rotated the strike on the opening ball, Brar set his sights on Dilum Sudeera, unleashing a pair of dual-six strikes that propelled India past the 350-run milestone—a target that seemed well out of reach before the final over commenced.
The left-hander set the tone by launching the second delivery over deep mid-wicket, following it up with a towering straight hit over the bowler's head for back-to-back maximums. After a dot ball off a sweep shot, Brar went back on the attack, clearing deep mid-wicket once more before capping off the over in grand style with a fourth six over deep extra cover.
Brar's explosive cameo provided a thrilling climax to the day, offering a clear glimpse of his potential with the willow. The tailender’s fearless hitting brought a rare smile to head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was seen warmly applauding the late-order onslaught from the Indian dugout.
Watch the video here:
At the other end, Devdutt Padikkal anchored the innings with a majestic, unbeaten 142, placing himself firmly in the frame for a starting spot in the upcoming Test series opener. With B Sai Sudharsan ruled out due to an unhealed injury, Padikkal’s solid display makes him the top contender to lock down the crucial No. 3 position.
India wrapped up Day 2 at 357/8 after 90 overs, headlined by Padikkal’s masterclass. Supporting contributions came from Ravindra Jadeja, who compiled a resilient 63 before retiring out, and young Manav Suthar, who impressed on his first overseas outing with a composure-filled 41. Brar then supplied the finishing touch, looting 25 runs from the final over to push India past the 350-mark.
The primary concern for the visitors, however, lies in the middle order's vulnerability against spin. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was dismissed for just two after an ill-advised lofted hit against the turn off Ramesh Mendis (2/77) resulted in a leading edge to long-off. Backup keeper Dhruv Jurel similarly faltered, falling for just a single run as his recent difficulties against quality slow bowling persisted.