Weapon pace, deadly swing: 6ft 5in Gurnoor Brar makes a big impression in Dharamsala

The apology should be as loud as the disrespect. And many may owe that to chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, who was quick to include Gurnoor Brar in the Indian squad ahead of crowd favorite Auqib Nabi. The choice has angered a section of Indian cricket fans and perhaps rightly so as Nabi has produced one of the greatest Ranji Trophy seasons in recent history – taking 60 wickets and leading Jammu and Kashmir to a historic title earlier this year.

Nabi, the quintessential toiler in India’s domestic ecosystem, failed despite many expecting him to get the nod. Ignoring Nabi may not have been warranted, but Saturday’s rain-curtailed ODI in Dharamsala once again showed that Agarkar knew what he was doing and, more importantly, that he wasn’t afraid of making bold calls.

Because if one thing has become clear during Agarkar’s tenure, it’s that the Indian team no longer chooses on the way out. It is selected for the profile.

And Gurnoor Brar, at least on first impression, fits the profile that India has been quietly chasing for some time now.

At 6ft 5in, built like a tank, Gurnoor Brar impressed many on his national team debut on Saturday, June 13. Bowling in the foggy conditions of Dharamsala, Gurnoor impressed not only with his pace and bounce but also with his seam presentation as he found a big swing at the foot of the Dhauladhar.

THE SHUBMAN-GURNOOR RELATIONSHIP

Having played cricket with Shubman Gill since childhood, a brutal confidence surrounded Gurnoor Brar during his five-run spell in Dharamsala.

After receiving the India cap from his childhood friend who went on to captain India, Gurnoor got going in the very second over of the match.

The first delivery was measured at 147 km/h.

Adrenaline may have taken over as he missed the radar and pounced on a full ball which opener Ibrahim Zadran failed to time.

Realizing the ball was moving in the conditions, Gurnoor shortened his length slightly and started hitting the deck harder with his big frame.

The result was immediate – the wicket of Zadran, who skied an attempted lofted drive to hand Gurnoor Brar his first international wicket.

What made this moment better was who completed the catch.

Shubman Gill, standing in the middle of the game, stepped back and kept the chance clean to give his childhood friend a confidence-boosting wicket in the very first over of his India career.

Later, Gurnoor joked that once the ball went towards Gill, there was never any fear. That kind of trust between a captain and a fast bowler can go a long way.

If you don’t believe it, ask Imran Khan’s Pakistan. For years, Imran has built his attack on confidence and aggression, supporting his fast bowlers with spells and allowing them to attack without fear of consequence.

When everyone says that Shubman Gill is a great fielder, they are right.

The confidence this boy had was “Gill hai toh catch pakad hi lega.”

PS- I liked how Gill switched to Punjabi as soon as he felt Gurnoor might be a bit uncomfortable interviewing in English. I like it pic.twitter.com/fNgfZxPSHa— Naina Dev (@NainaDev380254) June 14, 2026

Then came the forced cosmetic change in the ball itself, the stitches of which came apart, signifying the power and intent with which Gurnoor hit the surface at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.

In his opening spell, not a single ball that Gurnoor bowled fell below 140. In fact, most of the deliveries moved at close to 150 kmph – something that would surely put a smile on the face of the chief selector, once a fast bowler.

IND vs AFG, 1st ODI: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD

Former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Graeme Swann also impressed on debut.

“Gurnoor Brar impressed me a lot. He played tight line and length. His pace was good and he got the ball moving just a bit. You don’t need extravagant swing on debut. Control is more important. For a debutant, his control was excellent. What he did is unbelievable. He looks like a very good prospect,” Sunil Gavaskar told JioStar.

“His first ball was around mid-140s, coming off the right-hander. Anyone will tell you if you can bite at that pace with the ability to take the ball, it’s gold. Add decent control, good height and ability to hit the link of the bat – you deserve that first wicket. He showed all those qualities. A very promising start,” added Graeme Swann.

This promise is what Agarkar and the Indian team have essentially been following.

INDIA IS ALREADY PREPARING FOR THE WORLD CUPS

A tall fast bowler with the ability to target close to 150km/h and possibly even faster in the future, he could prove to be a huge asset for India in the 2027 and 2028 World Cups.

This is not the first time that Agarkar has backed a prospect who was not fully developed at the time of selection.

He did something similar when he quickly sent Harshit Rana to the Indian team after the Indian Premier League 2024 as India prepared for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Rana, another pitcher with a similar profile, offered height, nasty bounce and the ability to hit the deck consistently hard.

There were also questions at the time. Why not reward the best domestic season? Why not choose a safer option?

Over time, however, Rana’s role began to become clearer.

Formerly a handball player who relied heavily on cutters as a variation, Rana has transformed into a striking bowler with the ability to move the ball both ways. Against Australia, he bowled around the wicket to Travis Head and shaped the ball away from the left-hander.

This growth could not have happened if India had simply relied on home numbers and picked the highest wicket of the cycle. Which was again unfortunately Auqib Nabi.

That’s not to say Nabi shouldn’t have been picked after a record-breaking season.

This debate remains fair.

AGARKAR SELECTION POLICY

But the way Agarkar works seems to be consistent. The selectors seem willing to sacrifice immediate pay if they believe the player cap matches what India might need two years down the line.

Early impressions of Gurnoor Brar suggested that he might already be a more complete bowler than Harshit Rana was when the Delhi pacer first broke into the Indian side.

If Gurnoor develops well, a pace four of him, Rana, Bumrah and one of Siraj or Arshdeep could become a dangerous affair in Australian and South African conditions.

So far, however, India have seen only one five-over spell. Three wickets, a damaged ball is just an indication of the promise Gurnoor holds. It is not a definite guarantee that he will be successful for the Indian national team.

But that was never the point of the selection.

Agarkar did not choose Gurnoor Brar for what he already was. He chose him for what he thought he could become. And if Saturday was any indication, the chairman of selectors may have seen something before everyone else.

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

14 Jun 2026 18:49 IST