In the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan, India have handed debuts to three bowlers – Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey and Prince Yadav. All three have shown promise and made a positive impression. Among the trio, Gurnoor has attracted the most attention with his ability to trouble batters through pace and bounce while maintaining impressive control.
In just two matches, the six-foot-five pacer has claimed six wickets.
His rapid rise reflects the strength of India’s domestic cricket structure and the India A pathway that continues to produce ready-made international performers.
“I don’t think about that (reputation) much. I believe in myself and whatever I am doing, whether it is hard length or fast-paced bowling. I tried to replicate that here as well,” he said after India’s series-clinching 170-run win. “It was the same for me as when I bowled in Ranji, bowling fast, hitting a hard length and swinging the ball. I tried to replicate the exact same thing in India A and hit the same lines.”
For Brar, the transition to international cricket has been shaped by repetition, exposure and learning across multiple levels, from the Ranji Trophy to India A and the high-intensity environment of the IPL. He credited structured domestic pathways and dressing-room exposure alongside senior fast bowlers for helping him refine his game before stepping onto the international stage.
“I am thankful to God that I got my chance to show what I can do with India,” he adds. “There is a very good atmosphere in Gujarat Titans. There is (Ashish) Nehra sir, (Kagiso) Rabada, (Mohammed) Siraj bhai, Prasidh (Krishna) bhai and Ishant Sharma, so you get to learn a lot from them. I was also waiting for my chance there, and I kept observing where I could improve.”
