Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar is set to feature for North Zone in their Duleep Trophy semi-final clash against South Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The India and Punjab quick has been included in the squad ahead of the knockouts.
The seamer arrived at the North Zone camp after India’s 1-0 Test series victory in Sri Lanka. This decision aligns with the selectors’ plan to afford Brar ample red-ball exposure as India prepares for its next Test assignment in New Zealand this November.
Brar is expected to be handed an immediate spot in North Zone’s starting XI. The 26-year-old has been integrated into the national setup and was part of India’s squad for the Sri Lanka Tests, though he did not make his debut. His red-ball credentials were significantly bolstered during India A’s tour of Sri Lanka in July, where he claimed a career-best 10 for 145 against Sri Lanka A in Galle. He recorded figures of 4/77 in the first innings and 6/68 in the second, helping India A secure a 10-wicket victory and clinch the unofficial series 1-0.
That performance underscored why the selectors continue to monitor the tall right-arm quick. Brar has claimed 62 wickets in 19 first-class matches at an average of 25.24, including two five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket match haul.
He also made his international debut in June, taking 3/27 against Afghanistan in Dharamsala. Subsequently, he played all three ODIs against England, accumulating 11 wickets from six ODI appearances.
As India seeks pace options ahead of their New Zealand tour, the Duleep Trophy could serve as another crucial audition for Brar.
North Zone, led by captain Kanhaiya Wadhawan, secured their spot in the semis by defeating West Zone in the quarterfinals of the competition.
North Zone Duleep Trophy Squad
Ayush Doseja, Yash Dhull, Qamran Iqbal, Sanat Sangwan, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Nishant Sindhu, Abid Mushtaq, Anshul Kamboj, Kanhaiya Wadhawan (C), Arjun Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Sunil Kumar, Nikhil Kashyap, Yudhvir Charak, Gurnoor Brar