Who Is Gurnoor Brar? Not long ago, he was carrying drinks and bowling in the nets, hoping someone would notice. On May 19, 2026, the entire country noticed — because Gurnoor Brar’s name appeared in India’s Test AND ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, earning him a maiden call-up to international cricket at 25.
This is the story of a quiet, relentless climb from Punjab’s domestic circuit to representing 1.4 billion people in whites.
Table of Contents
Gurnoor Brar — Key Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Gurnoor Brar |
| Age | 25 years |
| State | Punjab |
| Role | Right-arm Fast Bowler |
| First-Class Matches | 18 |
| First-Class Wickets | 52 wickets @ avg 27.30 |
| List A Matches | 9 |
| List A Wickets | 12 wickets @ avg 39.0 |
| IPL Franchise | Gujarat Titans (₹30 lakh, IPL 2025) |
| India Debut | Upcoming vs Afghanistan (June 2026) |
| Selected In | ✅ Both Test AND ODI squad |
| Spotted By | Shubman Gill (India U19 setup) |
The Road Nobody Took Notice Of — Until Now
Gurnoor is a 25-year-old right-arm pacer from Punjab who impressed with his performances in domestic cricket. It was Shubman Gill who first noticed him during the India U19 setup and helped him break into the district team — the very captain who now leads the India side Brar will debut for.
That detail alone is poetic. The same pair who played age-group cricket together will now stand side by side on a Test match field.
Brar progressed to the Punjab U23 side before making his List A debut in 2021 and his first-class debut the following year. In 18 first-class matches, he has claimed 52 wickets at an average of 27.30 — numbers that reflect consistency and skill, not just raw pace.
The IPL Journey: From Net Bowler to Gujarat Titan
This is where the story gets genuinely humbling. In IPL 2023, Brar joined Punjab Kings initially as a net bowler before being signed as an injury replacement — he made his IPL debut but was later ruled out due to injury himself.
After spending a year as a net bowler with the Gujarat Titans, he was signed by the franchise for ₹30 lakh in IPL 2025 and retained for the 2026 season — though he is yet to play his first game for the side in the cash-rich league.
A net bowler. Twice. And still he kept showing up, kept bowling, kept believing.
Why the Selectors Bet on Brar
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was refreshingly direct about the reasoning during the squad announcement: height, movement, and the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. In the absence of pacers like Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah, Brar is highly expected to get an opportunity in the playing XI.
His 52 first-class wickets speak to genuine red-ball credentials, and with Bumrah being rested for workload management — as we covered in our India vs Afghanistan 2026 full squad breakdown on TechnoSports — the door is wide open for Brar to announce himself to the world.
According to the BCCI’s official website, the one-off Test begins June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in New Chandigarh — the same ground that hosted the IPL 2026 Eliminator. For all squad updates, match previews and India cricket news, stay tuned to TechnoSports.co.in.
Gurnoor Brar’s journey — from invisible net bowler to India Test cricketer — is one of those rare stories that reminds you why the grind always matters. June 6 is his moment. He’s earned every second of it.
Follow all India cricket and Afghanistan series news at TechnoSports.co.in
