Who is Gurnoor Brar? The Punjab pacer earned India’s first call-up for the Afghanistan Test

India have handed out first Test call-ups to three uncapped players, Punjab, Gurnoor Brar and left-arm spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey, for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan next month. Among them, Gurnoor’s inclusion attracted attention after the fast bowler’s consistent performances in domestic cricket and the IPL.

Born in Punjab, Gurnoor Singh Brar keeps rising through the domestic ranks to establish himself as one of the most promising fast bowlers in the country. Known for his pace, bounce and ability to move the ball both ways, the tall right-arm pacer has become an important figure in red-ball cricket for Punjab over the past two seasons.

Although Brar made his first-class debut in 2022 and his IPL debut in 2023 for Punjab Kings, the 2024–25 domestic season proved to be a turning point in his career. He finished as Punjab’s leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy, taking 26 wickets in seven matches with disciplined spells and consistent control.

One of his standout performances came against Bihar where he returned figures of 5/14 to help Punjab dominate the contest. During the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season, Brar picked up 33 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 25.66 and maintained an economy rate of 3.43.

Brar also impressed with white-ball cricket. In the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League 2024, he led the wicket-taking charts with 22 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 7.33. His performances across formats enhanced his reputation as one of Punjab’s emerging fast bowling prospects.

Before joining professional cricket, Brar worked as a net bowler with Mumbai Indians during the 2019 IPL season. He later made his List A debut against Goa and made his first-class debut against Railways in 2022.

Apart from bowling, Brar also contributed useful runs in the lower order. During the 2023 Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, he scored a decisive 64 and added a 100-run partnership with Siddharth Kaul to lead Punjab to a four-wicket victory.

Brar’s IPL journey began when Punjab Kings signed him in 2023 as a replacement for Raj Bawa for Rs 20 crore. He made his IPL debut against Lucknow Super Giants later that season. His domestic performances earned him a move to Gujarat Titans in the 2025 IPL auction where he was bought for INR 1.30 million.

He continued to impress with steady performances in domestic cricket and the IPL, earning a place in the India A set-up before breaking into the senior team. His first Test challenge for the Afghanistan series now represents the biggest moment of his career so far as he moves closer to making his international debut.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

May 19, 2026 5:03 PM IST