3 min readLucknowJun 17, 2026 11:00 PM IST At a time when the Indian Premier League (IPL) is considered the shortest route to the national side, Gurnoor Brar’s selection could be termed as a bit of a left-field call. He sat on the Gujarat Titans bench for the full season, but the tall Punjab pacer has made heads turn with his hard length, bounce and hostility at speeds of over 140 km per hour. In different conditions – cool Dharamshala and lifeless Lucknow – not to mention, different duration of innings, he has shown that he has what it takes to thrive and is a good prospect for Team India. Six wickets in two matches is an excellent return, but the variety and nous of the 26-year-old has given Indian cricket reason for optimism. “I didn’t get to play in the IPL but learnt a lot nevertheless,” Brar said after the second ODI against Afghanistan on Wednesday. “There were people like Ashish Nehra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. I observed what …