Will O’Rourke, standing at 6 feet 4 inches, is a fast bowler from New Zealand who has been able to create a deep impact in the international cricketing arena lately. His towering frame along with a high point of release has made him a potent weapon for New Zealand in their bowling arsenal. At 23, O’Rourke holds the record for the most wickets taken by a debutant for New Zealand in test cricket. Continuing his jaw-dropping performance, the Kiwi pacer in the first test match against India, in the recently commenced Test Series from October 16, dismissed three key batsmen in a single session: Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul.

Future Asset for New Zealand Cricket:

Trent Boult has retired from International Cricket. Tim Southee is at the fag end of his career and Neil Wagner has called it quits from Test Cricket. Another bowler Kyle Jamieson who stands at 6 feet 8 inches has been sidelined for this test series due to injury. O’Rourke has stepped into the shoes of a strike bowler for New Zealand in the former’s absence. O’Rourke’s performance in domestic cricket earned him great accolades along with a spot in the test squad. He has picked 69 wickets from 19 first-class matches and 42 wickets in 24 List A matches.

Impressive Start to International Career:

O’Rourke made a strong impression in the debut match against South Africa in February 2024. He picked up four wickets in the first innings and finished with a fiver in the second innings totalling nine wickets in the debut. This performance set a record for most wickets taken by a debutant for New Zealand. His performance helped New Zealand win the Test series by 2-0 against South Africa and O’Rourke was awarded the Player of the match. At 23, O’Rourke has played four international test matches and picked up 19 wickets and additionally, he has played three T20 matches.  

India Faces Big Challenge:

O’Rourke’s current performances in the international arena have helped him build a reputation, who can pose a significant threat to the Indian batting lineup. The recent string of poor performances from India’s top order too, doesn’t help the case. O’Rourke has already sown the seeds of havoc in the Indian batting lineup, scalping the prize wicket of Virat Kohli who returned to the pavilion for a duck. His total of four wickets along with fellow pacer Matt Henry’s fiver demolished the Indian batting line who were dismissed for a paltry 46.