The Punjab fast bowler Gurnoor Brar has been added to North Zone’s squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025-26 semi-final against South Zone. The match gets underway on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Who Is Gurnoor Brar and Why Was He Called Up?

Gurnoor Brar is a Punjab quick who has represented India at the highest level. His call-up comes hot on the heels of India’s Test series against Sri Lanka, which wrapped up with a 1-0 series win on Thursday.

Reports indicate he joined the North Zone squad right after that series ended, bringing fresh legs and genuine red-ball match fitness into a side stretched thin by national-team call-ups.

His arrival adds a third seam option at a venue where the surface tends to reward bowlers who can hit the deck hard.

Why Did North Zone Need Reinforcements?

North Zone’s original fast-bowling group took a hit when Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were both selected for India’s Asia Cup squad, leaving selectors short on pace depth. To fill that gap, they brought in two replacements: Gurnoor Brar from Punjab and Haryana’s Anuj Takral. For more detail, see BBC Sport.

The double call-up shows how quickly the red-ball domestic calendar has had to bend around the white-ball international window. North Zone’s management clearly wanted bowlers who’ve been in competitive match action rather than untested net bowlers.

What Does North Zone’s Probable XI Look Like?

North Zone’s first-innings batting core includes Ankit Kumar, Shubham Khajuria, Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, and Kanhaiya Wadhawan, giving the side a solid mix of experience and youth through the top and middle order.

In the bowling department, Gurnoor Brar slots in at No. 11 in the probable XI. Yudhvir Singh Charak is also there as another pace option alongside the new Haryana recruit.

The balance suggests North Zone is leaning toward four specialist bowlers plus an allrounder, rather than the longer tail that’s become trendy in recent domestic red-ball cricket.

When and Where Does the Semi-Final Take Place?

The semi-final starts on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, a ground that has hosted plenty of high-profile red-ball fixtures in recent seasons.

North Zone take on South Zone in what is effectively the penultimate round of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy. The winner moves on to the final.

Bengaluru’s pitches in late August usually offer early seam movement before flattening out, which makes the fresh pace reinforcements even more relevant for the first two sessions.

What’s Next for North Zone?

Right now, all eyes are on Sunday’s toss and the first innings. North Zone’s top order will want to give the new-look pace attack enough runs to defend.

For Gurnoor Brar personally, this is a real chance to push his case for higher honours after the Sri Lanka Test series. A strong showing against South Zone could keep him firmly in the red-ball conversation.

The bottom line: North Zone’s squad has been reshaped by Asia Cup duty, and Brar’s late arrival is the headline change heading into the Bengaluru semi-final.

The Punjab pacer slots in at No. 11 in North Zone’s probable XI after Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were retained by India’s Asia Cup squad.

FAQs

When does the Duleep Trophy semi-final between North Zone and South Zone start?

The match begins on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, with first-innings points on the line in the 2025-26 season. Why was Gurnoor Brar added to the North Zone squad? North Zone lost Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana to India’s Asia Cup squad, and the Punjab pacer came in alongside Haryana’s Anuj Takral as a fast-bowling replacement.

Where does Gurnoor Brar bat in North Zone’s probable XI? He is listed at No. 11 in the probable XI, with Yudhvir Singh Charak named as another pace option. What was the result of India’s Test series against Sri Lanka? India won the series 1-0, with the result confirmed on Thursday before Brar linked up with the North Zone squad.

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