India vs New Zealand: 5 Experts Praise Bowling Attack

India’s bowling attack earned widespread praise after restricting New Zealand to 185 in the first ODI of the 2026 series at Eden Park in Auckland. Despite missing experienced names such as Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Siraj, India’s four-pronged pace attack delivered an impressive performance to set up a five-wicket victory.

Arshdeep Singh led the effort with four wickets, while Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj also made significant contributions. Kamboj, in particular, stood out with an economical spell of 2-22 in 10 overs, including two maiden overs, and was named Player of the Match.

The performance attracted reactions from several former India cricketers and experts. Aakash Chopra, Irfan Pathan, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammad Kaif and Murali Kartik offered their assessments, highlighting the bowlers’ strengths while also identifying areas that India could improve.

Here are five notable expert reactions to India’s bowling performance against New Zealand in the first ODI.

1. Aakash Chopra praises Anshul Kamboj but questions Aaqib Nabi’s impact

Former India opener Aakash Chopra praised the performances of Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj and Gurnoor Brar, who claimed nine wickets between them. However, he also questioned the contribution of the fourth seamer, Aaqib Nabi, who finished with figures of 0-33 in six overs.

Chopra was particularly impressed by Kamboj’s ability to maintain consistent lines and lengths throughout his spell. The right-arm pacer conceded only 22 runs in his 10 overs, putting pressure on New Zealand’s batters through disciplined bowling.

“What a phenomenal spell by Anshul Kamboj – 10 overs for 22 runs. He keeps putting the ball in one place and is also good at batting. Nabi was given a chance. He was a late addition to the squad. But let me just go and have a look again. He has not got wickets. This is an issue,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra also acknowledged that Arshdeep had been expensive despite taking four wickets, while Gurnoor finished with three wickets for 44 runs. He then questioned whether Nabi had done enough to make an impact in the match.

“Gurnoor Brar picked up three wickets for 44 runs. Arshdeep Singh was very expensive, but claimed four wickets. But then you ask a question – what is Nabi doing? Things are not working out for him. There was supposed to be a race between him and Anshul Kamboj, but Kamboj is currently leading the race,” Chopra added.

His comments highlighted the competition among India’s fast-bowling options and the importance of making the most of opportunities at international level.

2. Irfan Pathan identifies Kamboj as India’s biggest positive

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan considered Anshul Kamboj the biggest positive from the match. He was impressed by the bowler’s consistency, ability to generate movement and use of the scrambled seam.

Pathan pointed out that Kamboj continued to find movement even during the later stages of his spell, when the conditions might have made it more difficult to trouble the batters. His disciplined lengths prevented New Zealand from scoring freely and helped India maintain control.

“The biggest positive for me from this match was Anshul Kamboj. His graph has been steadily improving, but throughout his spell, even when he was bowling towards the end, the ball was moving more than it was for the other bowlers. Kamboj’s lengths were relentless. He was consistently bowling in the right areas, generating movement and also making use of the scrambled seam,” Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

Kamboj’s figures of 2-22 from 10 overs reflected the control Pathan was discussing. His spell also included two maidens, making it difficult for New Zealand to build partnerships or accelerate consistently.

3. Sunil Gavaskar backs Arshdeep Singh for Test cricket

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar praised Arshdeep Singh’s ability to swing the white ball in both directions. He highlighted how the left-arm pacer’s movement and accurate line created uncertainty for New Zealand’s batters.

Arshdeep dismissed Will Young and Henry Nicholls early, giving India an important advantage with the new ball. He eventually finished with figures of 4-70, registering his third four-wicket haul in 19 ODI appearances.

Gavaskar was particularly impressed by the way Arshdeep made right-handed batters play across the line, using movement to create doubt about which direction the ball would travel.

“He can swing the ball both ways, inswing and outswing. That creates doubt for the batters as to which ball is coming. His length today was excellent. The line was good in any case. He was making the right-handed batters play across the line from middle and off-stump,” Sunil Gavaskar said on the Sony Sports Network.

The former India captain also suggested that Arshdeep’s ability to swing the white ball could make him an option for the Test team. The left-arm pacer has yet to make his Test debut, although he was part of India’s squad for the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

“An odd ball was coming in as well. He bowled extremely well, and I have always said, I have been seeing him for two or three years, that he should be looked at even for Test Cricket. If he swings the white ball so much, how much will he swing the red ball?” he added.

Gavaskar’s remarks brought attention to Arshdeep’s potential in the longer format, particularly his ability to move the ball and challenge batters with different angles.

4. Mohammad Kaif believes Arshdeep deserved Player of the Match

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif felt that Arshdeep Singh should have received the Player of the Match award instead of Anshul Kamboj. While acknowledging Kamboj’s economical bowling, Kaif placed greater importance on Arshdeep’s early breakthroughs.

According to Kaif, Arshdeep’s wickets at the top of the order put New Zealand under pressure and helped India take control of the innings. He argued that removing key batters early had a greater impact on the direction of the contest than taking wickets towards the end.

“Arshdeep was more impressive. He built pressure by picking wickets at the top. Anshul got wickets later on of the lower-order batters. But Arshdeep put New Zealand out of the game by picking early wickets. His two overs at the end were bad, but he took four wickets. I think he deserved to win the ‘Man of the Match’. He set the tone of the game upfront,” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Arshdeep’s four-wicket haul was an important part of India’s bowling performance, although his final figures also reflected the runs he conceded. Kamboj, meanwhile, provided control and picked up two wickets while completing his full 10-over allocation.

The contrasting contributions from the two pacers offered different reasons for their recognition, with Kaif emphasising the importance of early wickets and Kamboj receiving the official match award for his overall spell.

5. Murali Kartik praises India’s pacers but questions the finish

Former India spinner Murali Kartik praised the performances of Anshul Kamboj and Arshdeep Singh but identified the final stages of New Zealand’s innings as an area where India could have done better.

New Zealand were struggling at 146-9, leaving India with an opportunity to finish the innings quickly. However, Blair Tickner helped the hosts add 39 runs for the final wicket, extending the total to 185.

Kartik acknowledged Kamboj’s accuracy and Arshdeep’s contribution after an initially difficult start. However, he felt India should have wrapped up the innings more efficiently once the lower order was exposed.

“Kamboj was outstanding. The lengths that he hit were superb. Arshdeep was unlucky to begin with, but then he picked up those wickets. Again, in the end, could they’ve wrapped it up better? Maybe, yes, because you’re looking for ways to improve. When you’ve got the others on the floor, you want to make sure your foot is on their throat,” the former spinner said on Cricbuzz.

His assessment highlighted a small but important concern despite India’s overall success. Allowing the final pair to add 39 runs gave New Zealand a higher total than they might have managed, although India ultimately completed the chase comfortably enough to win by five wickets.

India take a 1-0 lead ahead of second ODI

India’s pace attack provided the foundation for the five-wicket victory in Auckland. Arshdeep’s early breakthroughs, Gurnoor Brar’s three wickets and Kamboj’s economical spell combined to restrict New Zealand to 185.

The performance was particularly encouraging because India managed to deliver with a second-string pace unit in the absence of several established bowlers. Kamboj’s Player of the Match performance and the praise from former cricketers added to the positives from the opening fixture.

However, the experts also identified areas for improvement, including Aaqib Nabi’s lack of wickets and the runs conceded by New Zealand’s last-wicket pair. India will look to address those concerns as the series continues.

The second ODI between India and New Zealand is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, in Wellington. India will enter the contest with a 1-0 series lead and an opportunity to build on the strong start made by their pace attack.