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See the full story · 2 sourcesGurnoor Brar impresses in warm up game in Sri Lanka: Can the pacer make his India Test debut in Galle? originally appeared on Cricket News .
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
India quick Gurnoor Brar impresses with bat, ball in Colombo warm-up match.
Pacer takes 2/37, smashes four sixes in final over of first innings.
Zaheer Khan backs Brar for a long, promising international career, if managed well.
Gurnoor Brar shines in Colombo warm-up: Will he make his Test debut at Galle against Sri Lanka?
India's fast bowlers got in some valuable match practice as Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar all bowled with real intent on day three of the warm-up fixture against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the NCC ground in Colombo, ahead of the first Test starting in Galle on August 15.
Brar stood out on a surface offering little assistance to seamers, still managing to extract useful bounce throughout his spell. A sharp, well-directed delivery forced Pavan Rathnayake into an awkward shot, with Harsh Dubey completing the catch at covers.
His next breakthrough came when opposition captain Sonal Dinusha edged behind to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. Across his eight-over spell, Brar finished with figures of 2 for 37, a solid return given the lack of assistance from the pitch.
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Gurnoor Brar's rapid rise through Indian cricket ranks
Brar, who represents Gujarat Titans in the IPL, earned a surprise call-up to India's ODI squad for the series against Afghanistan. He justified that faith quickly, picking up seven wickets across the three ODIs, before backing it up further with a ten-wicket match haul for India A against Sri Lanka A in a first-class fixture.
He also contributed four wickets across India's first two ODIs against England. His latest red-ball outing in Sri Lanka adds further weight to his growing case, potentially prompting head coach Gautam Gambhir to consider selecting him ahead of Prasidh Krishna for the Test series opener on August 15.
Beyond his bowling, Brar also produced a memorable cameo with the bat, taking on left-arm spinner Dilum Sudeera in the final over of India's first innings with a stunning display of clean hitting.
He opened with a six over deep mid-wicket off the second ball, followed immediately by another maximum straight down the ground. He then swept the next delivery for a boundary before launching another six over deep mid-wicket, and capped off the over in style with a final six over deep extra cover. The tailender's aggression delighted Gambhir in the Indian dugout, and the coach made sure to congratulate the young pacer while he walked back towards the dressing room at stumps on Day 2.
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#Breaking - GURNOOR BRAR HITTING 6,6,0,6,6, IN FINAL OVER AGAINST DILUM SUDEERA pic.twitter.com/2z48RxABXR
— NEWS WALA (@NEWSWALApy) August 8, 2026 Zaheer Khan backs Gurnoor Brar's long-term international potential
Former India pacer Zaheer Khan admires the current crop of young fast bowlers emerging in Indian cricket, but singles out Brar as the standout.
Speaking in a conversation with journalist Vimal Kumar, Zaheer said he believes Brar possesses the ability to build a long and successful international career, and praised the selectors for fast-tracking his development.
“It’s good to see a young crop of fast bowlers coming through that bowl high speeds," he said.
"I believe Gurnoor Brar is the one who has the ability to have a good and lengthy career. It’s good that he has been fast-tracked. Even when I spent some time with him, I could see exciting potential in him. We have to wait and see how his career materialises eventually, but on potential, he has impressed me the most."
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Why Gurnoor Brar's all-round display strengthens his Test case
What makes Brar's performance particularly compelling isn't just the wickets or the boundaries individually; it's the combination of both in a single outing that elevates his profile as a potential Test candidate.
Bowlers who can contribute meaningfully with the bat are preferred by Gambhir, particularly in conditions where extra batting depth down the order can prove valuable. His numbers across formats this year, seven ODI wickets against Afghanistan, a ten-wicket first-class haul, and now a strong all-round showing in Colombo, paint a picture of a bowler adapting quickly across different conditions and formats.
That said, red-ball cricket in Galle will present a sterner test, and Gambhir's team management will need to weigh Brar's promise against Prasidh Krishna's existing experience. Still, on current form, overlooking Brar for the Galle Test would be a difficult decision to justify.
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