The Duleep Trophy semifinals are kicking off tomorrow, and India pacer Gurnoor Brar has been added to the North Zone squad for their match against South Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bandi Kodigehalli Palya.
Gurnoor recently was part of India’s Test squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, but he didn’t play in either of the games. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna were preferred over him as India took the series 1-0 with the win in the first game of the rubber at Galle. The Colombo match ended in a draw.
Since making his ODI debut against Afghanistan in June, the Punjab bowler has come a long way. In the preceding one-off Test against the same opposition, Gurnoor was part of the squad, his maiden international call-up, but he didn’t feature in that game. So far, Gurnoor has played six ODIs, three against Afghanistan and three against England.
He also represented India A in Sri Lanka and featured in one game in which he took a 10-for to inspire the team to a thumping win. Gurnoor has promised big. He is tall, he is quick, can swing the ball and the way the BCCI is handling him, it appears it’s mainly red-ball and ODI cricket where his services would be required. Yes, he has not got a Test match yet, but he can get his debut come November when India play New Zealand in a two-Test series.
Earlier this year, after he got his maiden call-up, Gurnoor himself had admitted it was red-ball cricket that he was focusing on. “…If it is a completely flat wicket where nothing is happening, that is when I will raise my hand to say, I'm here, I will get him out. If I manage to get [someone out] on a flat wicket without any movement, it gives me double the happiness. So that has been part of my inner drive [to succeed] in red-ball cricket. Red-ball cricket will always remain at the top for me because there is no other format where a cricketer is tested endurance-wise, mentally, skill-wise,” the fast bowler told ESPNcricinfo.
Gurnoor, who represents Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, would look to do well in the Duleep Trophy semis and propel his team into the final that is scheduled for September 6 at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.